It’s officially Speech and Hearing Month in Prince Albert, and the Prince Albert Elks and Prince Albert Royal Purple Elks want to get everyone talking about it.
The two groups held a flag raising ceremony at the Prince Albert Elks Hall to officially kick off the month on Thursday. Angie Nelson, Honoured Royal Lady of the Prince Albert Royal Purple Elks, said supporting early learning detection and intervention programs are important to the Elks of Canada.
“One of the programs that we were looking at was something that would be beneficial to children,” Nelson said. “The idea came up to have funding available for children under the age of 18, to help them with speech to help them with hearing, (and) to help them continue to have a better life.”
Nelson said the goal is to help children with speech and hearing problems “be free as a butterfly” so they can have the same childhood experiences as other children.
Aria Gagne has been a part of the Speech and Hearing Program since before she turned two years old and is now in elementary school.
“She is actually starting to speak more now,” Nelson said. “We have got a sign that we had made-up. We are just waiting for the school board to put it into the ground so that it will benefit other children that will help to communicate with this young lady.
“We’ve also now got two young boys that are being helped with speech. They go every month. That’s part of our program, just to help anybody who needs help,” she added.
Prince Albert Mayor Bill Powalinsky and Ward 3 City Councillor Tony Head also took part in the flag raising. Powalinsky read a proclamation for the month. An official proclamation is expected at an upcoming City Council meeting.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had our mayor come and do a proclamation to have May as our Speech and Hearing Month, along with the councillor. Usually we’ve had a councillor come representing the Mayor,” Nelson said. She said that May 1 falling on a Thursday was unusual.
“Monday is usually the best day to do it, but we try and have it done like the first day so that we have the whole month,” Nelson said.
Nelson said the early learning and detection programs are important because most children with speech or hearing problems are not diagnosed at an early age. The two Prince Albert groups work in conjunction with the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon to help keep those efforts going.
The Elks are hosting a Free Pancake Breakfast for Seniors on May 3 from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. at the Elks Hall.
“That would be the day that we would be out among the community, but with the pancake breakfast, we’ll all be here, so they’ll probably be a little bit of something spoken out in regards to the Speech and Hearing Month at the pancake breakfast,” Nelson explained.
According to an Elks and Royal Purple press release, one in six people has a speech, language or hearing disorder. Children are at risk of developing social, emotional, behavioural and possibly learning problems if these problems are not diagnosed earlier.
The release states that communication is a vital link between human beings since we gain much of our information about others and the world around us through our ears. It goes on to state that we need to ensure that all children have access to newborn screening and timely intervention services to enable them to live lives to their potential.
Newborn hearing screening is an essential first step in the strategy for identifying children with permanent hearing loss and should be the standard of care in Canada. Early intervention is critical for children identified with communication problems.
The Saskatchewan Elks solicit donations to help Saskatchewan residents with grants for medical needs, operate the Seniors Homes, and make significant contributions to the Sask. Pediatric Auditory Rehabilitation Centre (SPARC) in Saskatoon.
SPARC is an early detection, assessment, and rehabilitation program for hearing impaired children in the Province. SPARC, the Children’s Hearing Centre, is located at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.
“We still help look after that, even though that is in the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital,” Nelson said. “It’s just something that we felt, as members of the Elks and the Royal Purple Elks, was important to be able to help families in our community that are unable to be able to look after themselves and their children.”
Another way to support the Elks is through their Trucks and Bucks Lottery, for more information visit trucksandbucks.ca
“We have got our big Trucks and Bucks. We are selling tickets for the Trucks and Bucks and money from that also goes towards the program,” Nelson said.
For more information on Speech and Hearing Month contact the Prince Albert Elks and Royal Purple Elks or call the Elks of Canada toll free at 1-888-THE-ELKS (843-3557).
