By John DixonCub@TheColumbiaStar.com
The Paw Paw Shelter at Saluda Shoals Park was the site of the annual S.C. AG Bell Association Family Picnic May 19, 2007. Around 11 am families began to gather for food, fun, and fellowship. Founded in 1890, by Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, the national chapter of the AG Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing supports the belief that every child with deafness or hearing loss should have the opportunity to develop the speech and listening skills to function successfully as part of the hearing world. The S.C. chapter was founded a little over a decade ago by a dedicated group of parents and professionals.
Games and activities for the children were planned and supervised by USC graduate students in the MSP (Master of Speech Pathology) program who are specializing in auditory- verbal therapy. Board member, Dr. Cheryl Rogers, was in charge of getting graduate students from USC to plan activities.
Kimberlee Crass, Sarah Marie Daughtry, Louise Duncan, Shaverra Jones, and Kristi Walters planned and supervised games and crafts including bubbles, beading. The Communication Sciences and Disorders at USC was the first U.S. school to implement a specialized Auditory- Verbal Training Track.
Robin Price, mother of five- year- old Jay, a cochlear implant user, said, “It helps us to be around other folks who have walked in our shoes.”
Brandi Merritt, mother of Ashton and Savannah, said, “One way AG Bell strengthens families is it just brings everybody together.”
For more information about National AG Bell, check it out on the Web at www.agbell.org.
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