Virginia girl gets gift of hearing from Job's Daughters

From: Beatrice Daily Sun, NE - May 17, 2004

By Bill Hafer/Daily Sun staff writer

The sound of birds singing is one of those things that most people take for granted as a part of their everyday environment, but not Chelsea Sedlacek of Virginia.

She said she first heard the birds singing a month and a half ago when she got her hearing aid.

"The hearing aid has really helped me in school. I got home that day and heard the birds singing," said Sedlacek, a fourth-grader at Lewiston Public Schools, on Saturday at the International Order of Job's Daughters ceremony to officially announce the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund presentation.

The ceremony was hosted by Bethel 31 of Beatrice, with members of Bethel 8 of Hastings and Bethel 60 of Lincoln on hand at the Beatrice Masonic Center to participate in the presentation.

"HIKE is a philanthropic project of Job's Daughters. Money collected is used to provide hearing devices for needy youngsters," Nebraska HIKE committee chairman Phil Edwards said.

He said the project started in 1985 and nationally 1,900 devices have been awarded. The purpose of HIKE is to provide hearing devices for children with hearing impairments whose parents are financially unable to meet that special need.

Funds are raised through various efforts of local chapters, which are contributed to a national fund. Applications are received by state HIKE boards through audiologists or physicians.

Sedlacek is the 97th Nebraskan to receive HIKE funds to purchase a hearing device.

"I'm very glad I had the chance to meet you," Sedlacek said in accepting the award during the ceremony.

Her mother, Norma, and father, Bruce, said school has gone better for their daughter, already an honor roll student, since receiving the hearing aid.

"She was on the honor roll but she had to work twice as hard to get there," Mrs. Sedlacek said.

Job's Daughters is a Masonically related organization for young women between the ages of 11 and 20. To become a member a young woman must have a relative who is a Mason. The group is founded on the Book of Job, found in the Hebrew Bible.

Copyright © 2004 Beatrice Daily Sun