 Nashville Sertoman Bill Rogers is among the outstanding individuals with hearing loss honored by the 2010 Oticon Focus on People Awards, a national competition that recognizes individuals who are helping to eliminate negative stereotypes of what it means to have a hearing loss.
Rogers was honored at the 13th annual Oticon Focus on People Awards Ceremony at the Oticon Human Link Conference in Stevenson, Oregon as the first place winner in the Advocacy Category. The Awards ceremony was attended by more than 200 leading hearing care professionals from across the country. As part of his award, Rogers, a member of the Sertoma Club of Nashville, designated HEAR Nashville to receive a $1,000 donation from Oticon, Inc.
Rogers, who is profoundly hearing impaired, was instrumental in founding HEAR Nashville, a hearing consortium whose goal is to be an easily accessed resource – just one phone call away – that helps low-income residents of mid-Tennessee locate hearing help. Early on, the Nashville Sertoman recognized that some people who were older and on fixed incomes seemed to be shuffled from one agency to another until they became frustrated and stopped trying to get the help they needed. In working to develop and promote HEAR Nashville, Rogers relies on his considerable experience volunteering with such groups as E.A.R. Foundation where, in the mid-1980’s and early 1990’s, he spearheaded an initiative to rebuild the Meniere’s Network to address the needs and concerns of individuals experiencing the little known and often devastating effects of Meniere’s Disease.
During his time with the E.A.R. Foundation, Rogers participated in the Young Ears program, speaking to children in grades 3-7 about the anatomy of the ear, protecting hearing and causes of hearing loss in young children. A former trustee for the Sertoma Foundation, Rogers was named Sertoman of the Year by the Sertoma Club of Nashville for his efforts as an advocate for those with hearing loss and for helping to establish the Fantasy Baseball Camp in Nashville for deaf and hard of hearing children.
Oticon President Peer Lauritsen praised Rogers, saying that “Individuals like Bill Rogers are inspiring role models for people living with hearing loss. Through their achievements and contributions, they show us that hearing loss does not limit a person’s ability to make a difference in their families, their communities and even, the world. By recognizing these outstanding individuals, we aim to motivate people to speak with hearing care professionals about hearing loss and the hearing solutions that can empower them to participate actively in all that life has to offer.”
Audiologist Patti Hergenreder of Vanderbilt Hearing Center works with Rogers on the HEAR Nashville program and seconds Lauritsen’s praise. “Bill never gives up in his support of people with hearing loss,” she said. “He consistently steps up, learns, interacts and serves wherever there is a hearing need. There may be a few missed words due to Bill’s profound hearing loss but there are very few missed opportunities in this man’s life!”
Sertoma congratulates Bill Rogers for his outstanding achievement and dedicated SERvice TO Mankind.
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