Belleville Hearing Clinic to Help Starkey Hearing Foundation Give Projected
4,000 Hearing Instruments to Adults and Children in Need in Toluca, Mexico

BELLEVILLE, ON, Feb. 9 /CNW/ - Glenda and Michael Vout, today announced plans for the eight-day hearing mission trip to Toluca, Mexico projected to result in fitting more than 2,000 adults and children receiving over 4,000 hearing instruments. The hearing mission trip will be completed in conjunction with the Starkey Hearing Foundation in an effort to fulfill the Foundation's commitment to helping the world to hear.

"It is incredibly fulfilling to be a part of this hearing mission trip and to do so much good in such a short amount of time. It's also very humbling to experience the incredible need that exists in the world. I feel honored to have the opportunity to bring the gift of hearing to so many in need and proud to support the Starkey Hearing Foundation in its mission," said Glenda Vout, Owner of Vouts Hearing Centre. According to Glenda, not only will those in need be fitted with hearing instruments, they will also receive training on hearing instrument care, maintenance and a supply of hearing instrument batteries.

Hearing mission trips are paid for by donations to the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Every year at the Foundation's annual "So the World May Hear" Awards Gala, attendees have an opportunity to bid during a live auction to fund a hearing mission trip. A network of distributors of Starkey Canada , a division of Starkey Laboratories, bid to fund the Toluca, Mexico mission, which will take place February 21-28.

About Vouts Hearing Centre

Michael and Glenda own and operate Vout's Hearing and Denture Centre in Belleville and Napanee, and have been providing the communities with hearing health care for over 27 years. This mission to Toluca, Mexico will be the 7th mission that the Vout's have participated in. Glenda and Michael's efforts have enabled them, up to now; to supply much needed hearing aids to over 3100 children and adults in El Salvador (2 missions), Jamaica , Panama , Turkey , and Egypt .

The general public can assist the Vouts by donating their used hearing aids that are no longer needed to help bring the gift of hearing to children and adults of Third World Countries. Any donation of hearing aids will improve the quality of life of a child or adult in need and can be dropped off at one of the offices.

About Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF)

Since 1973, Starkey has been giving the gift of hearing to the world's underprivileged -especially children- through its internationally recognized mission program and its domestic program, Hear Now. Our mission is to promote hearing health awareness and education; provide hearing instruments and personal listening devices to people in need, and to support and conduct research and education in hearing breakthroughs and technologies. In late 2007, SHF launched their awareness initiative via a media campaign with public service announcements to educate consumers about responsible listening. Spanning the past 12 months, the Foundation has provided more than 50,000 hearing instruments both domestically and abroad. Since 2000, more than 400,000 hearing instruments have been distributed to persons in need worldwide. Please visit www.sotheworldmayhear.org to learn more.

For further information: Glenda Vout, Vouts Hearing Centre, [phone], [email protected]