Lion Jill Bates, Spotsylvania Courthouse 100 Lions Club
Visit the "Listen Up!" website.
See the new Community Brochure.
About the Program:
The objective is to educate families and communities about early childhood hearing loss and provide free hearing screenings to children 2- 5 years of age, in order to find deaf and hard of hearing children at an earlier age.
The program was launched by District 24-C in April 2025. In our district, informational Road Shows were held to explain the program rollout, leadership roles, and the recruitment and training of volunteers to serve on Teams.
Program Leadership:
Program Champions:
- PCC Jean Cook -- cookjean548@gmail.com
- Lion Valerie James Abbott --valeriejamesabbott@gmail.com
24-L Regional Coordinators:
- Lion Evelyn Marr -- remlik@verizon.net
- Lion Sandy Smith -- sandyclaresmith@gmail.com
Updates:
July 2026 -- As we begin the next phase of the project, many of you have attended in-person training. Lions Evelyn Marr, Sandy Smith, and PCC Jean Cook have been busy traveling the district demonstrating the equipment that will be used, answering questions, and looking at building teams. It is not too late to consider being part of this worthwhile project to detect possible hearing issues among our youngest children.
We are committed to amplifying voices that need to be heard, speaking up for those that can’t speak for themselves. Helping children not to fall behind before they even start their educational and formative years. This is our chance to connect with children and their parents, to detect hearing issues before they are noticed and to help these children to start off on the right foot.
It is now time to look for funding for the equipment. It is our hope that over the next several months, we will receive donations from clubs, individuals, and businesses to purchase equipment in November. DCLI, a 501(c)(3) Foundation for our District, will be holding the funds. Send contributions to: DCLI – Listen Up, c/o Harry Leipfert, 2257 Cedar Grove Road, Winchester VA 22603.
And, attend our Fall Conference to “hear” more about this project.
Additional Information:
- WDBJ7 News Coverage -- Groundbreaking initiative to improve access to hearing screening for kids
- HLAA Webinar -- Catching Kids Before They Fall: Pediatric Late Onset Hearing Loss Awareness
- ALHA Newswire -- A National Push for Continuous Early Hearing Screening
In Our District:
This program is uniquely organized. It is not fulfilled by clubs but rather, by Teams which can be comprised of Lions from several clubs.
- Phase One: Hold Road Shows -- These are in-person or Zoom sessions of 1-1 1/2 hours explaining all the aspects of the program.
- Phase Two: Sign Up Volunteers -- Enroll people who are committed to putting the program in place.
- Phase Three: Training -- This is happening now.
- Phase Four: Team Set Up -- Those trained will be assigned to Teams of about 20volunteers.
Attend a Training:
Any Lion can be trained to use the OAE device (whether or not that Lion attended a Road Show) and be on a "Listen Up!" hearing screening team. Register with Lion Evelyn Marr or Lion Sandy Smith.
Lion Valerie James Abott met with Dr. Ashleigh Greenwood, the pediatric audiologist and clinical director at Inova Fairfax Hospital overseeing the newborn hearing screening team. Dr. Greenwood also oversees the referrals that come to them from pediatricians, families, early intervention offices, etc. seeking a hearing evaluation for a small child. She and her team from Inova are leading the trainings.
Training dates are:
- Saturday, June 13 -- 10:00am-2:00pm -- Completed!
St. Peter's Lutheran Church 1201 Courthouse Road, Stafford County - Saturday, June 27 -- 10:00am-2:00pm -- Completed!
Culpeper Baptist Church, 318 S. West Street, Culpeper - Friday July 10 -- 2:00-6:00pm -- Completed!
Trinity Presbyterian Church, 651 Dranesville Rd, Herndon - Saturday, July 11 -- 10:00am-2:00pm -- Completed!
Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, 104 VSDB Drive, Staunton - Friday, July 31 -- 2:00-6:00pm
Doors open at 1:30pm
Bethel Lutheran Church, 8712 Plantation Lane, Manassas - Saturday, August 1 -- 10:00am-2:00pm
Doors open at 9:30am
LDS Church, 230 Justes Drive, Winchester
We would like to register 40-45 Lions per training session.