By Brandi McGrath Kong, Director of Member Services and Conferences

Hearing health has been part of the Sertoma mission for more than 50 years, and in that time, our clubs have found new and unique ways to incorporate our national hearing loss education and awareness programs at the local level. It is thanks to their work that we have spread the word about initiatives like the Sertoma National Service Project, A Sound Investment, SAFEEars!®, CELEBRATE SOUND® and more in communities throughout the United States and Canada.

How can your club make our national hearing health mission part of its community service? We have found that most clubs typically find ways to incorporate the national programs into already-existing events that their club participates in, sponsors or hosts. Other clubs have found success in building events and fundraisers around the programs themselves. 

Let’s look at ways that our clubs have spread the Sertoma mission in their communities:             

SAFEEars!®

• Southglenn Sertoma Club engages local young athletes in Colorado by sharing hearing protection and information with junior golfers and swimmers at their local country club.
• The Tampa GEM Sertoma Club uses National Teach-In Day each November to educate other Floridians about hearing health.

National Service Project/A Sound Investment

• The Aurora-Golden Triangle Sertoma Club has partnered locally to implement two permanent hearing loops and 14 portable loops in Southwest Texas. 
• The Aiken Sertoma Club has funded and installed two permanent induction loops into two top-tier venues. They’ve also gifted two portable loops to their South Carolina community.

CELEBRATE SOUND®

• Honolulu Sertoma Club has found a great way to involve their Serteen youth in hearing health awareness through their avid participation in annual CELEBRATE SOUND® fundraising walks in Hawaii.
• The Sertoma Club of Springfield, IL, will celebrate its eighth event this fall. Sixty percent of funds raised by participants go toward Illinois-based charitable causes and programs supported by the club. 

You can learn more about the Sertoma national programs through our newly updated Sertoma Basics video. This will also be a topic discussed more in depth at all regional conventions in 2023. We hope you’ll join us so that we can find new ways to grow the Sertoma hearing health mission nationally and in the communities that our clubs proudly serve.