ajijicrocks Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yesterday I had the thrill to experience something I while never forget. At the School for Special Needs in Jocotopec we witnessed a little boy of 18 months who is deaf be fitted with a hearing aid for the first time and watch as he made all sorts of faces on hearing his first sounds ever. The hearing aids were donated by a visiting 16 year old from California named Grace O'Brien.She started her own organisation that provides and raises funds for hearing aids for kids who are not given them by their governments and whose families cannot afford them. She brought several with here and 3 were fitted yesterday but there is a need for more. These kids CAN actually learn to speak etc. but are living in a silent world simply because of lack of finances. If anyone like to donate to reach the mids who still need, then PLEASE please PM me, so we can make a difference. Thanks so much for your time, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rony Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yesterday I had the thrill to experience something I while never forget. At the School for Special Needs in Jocotopec we witnessed a little boy of 18 months who is deaf be fitted with a hearing aid for the first time and watch as he made all sorts of faces on hearing his first sounds ever. The hearing aids were donated by a visiting 16 year old from California named Grace O'Brien.She started her own organisation that provides and raises funds for hearing aids for kids who are not given them by their governments and whose families cannot afford them. She brought several with here and 3 were fitted yesterday but there is a need for more. These kids CAN actually learn to speak etc. but are living in a silent world simply because of lack of finances. If anyone like to donate to reach the mids who still need, then PLEASE please PM me, so we can make a difference. Thanks so much for your time, That sounds like a really beautiful project. Being able to listen to music is so important, especially here in music country Mexico. Good luck ! Rony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
privado Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yesterday I had the thrill to experience something I while never forget. At the School for Special Needs in Jocotopec we witnessed a little boy of 18 months who is deaf be fitted with a hearing aid for the first time and watch as he made all sorts of faces on hearing his first sounds ever. The hearing aids were donated by a visiting 16 year old from California named Grace O'Brien.She started her own organisation that provides and raises funds for hearing aids for kids who are not given them by their governments and whose families cannot afford them. She brought several with here and 3 were fitted yesterday but there is a need for more. These kids CAN actually learn to speak etc. but are living in a silent world simply because of lack of finances. If anyone like to donate to reach the mids who still need, then PLEASE please PM me, so we can make a difference. Thanks so much for your time, How about posting the name of Grace Obriens organisation- I used to consult to Senior Centers in No. Calif.- still have a connection there that probably would be willing to help pass the word. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks Rony. Watching that little boy literally brought all 5 grown adults in the room to tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakeside101 Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 my understanding these don't require batteries... they are solar - so the poor dont have an ongoing expense. What a wonderful thing. http://www.earsforyears.org/storymission.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 That's completely correct lakeside. The ones we recieved have a solar charger for the batteries as well, so as you say no estra expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicis4me Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yesterday I had the thrill to experience something I while never forget. At the School for Special Needs in Jocotopec we witnessed a little boy of 18 months who is deaf be fitted with a hearing aid for the first time and watch as he made all sorts of faces on hearing his first sounds ever. The hearing aids were donated by a visiting 16 year old from California named Grace O'Brien.She started her own organisation that provides and raises funds for hearing aids for kids who are not given them by their governments and whose families cannot afford them. She brought several with here and 3 were fitted yesterday but there is a need for more. These kids CAN actually learn to speak etc. but are living in a silent world simply because of lack of finances. If anyone like to donate to reach the mids who still need, then PLEASE please PM me, so we can make a difference. Thanks so much for your time, Why did no one approach the School for the Deaf in Ajijic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Because the School for the Deaf in Ajijic is actually the one in Jocotopec, which is now the School for Special Needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaChula Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Yesterday I had the thrill to experience something I while never forget. At the School for Special Needs in Jocotopec we witnessed a little boy of 18 months who is deaf be fitted with a hearing aid for the first time and watch as he made all sorts of faces on hearing his first sounds ever. The hearing aids were donated by a visiting 16 year old from California named Grace O'Brien.She started her own organisation that provides and raises funds for hearing aids for kids who are not given them by their governments and whose families cannot afford them. She brought several with here and 3 were fitted yesterday but there is a need for more. These kids CAN actually learn to speak etc. but are living in a silent world simply because of lack of finances. If anyone like to donate to reach the mids who still need, then PLEASE please PM me, so we can make a difference. Thanks so much for your time, WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Because the School for the Deaf in Ajijic is actually the one in Jocotopec, which is now the School for Special Needs. This SEP (public school under the auspices of the Secretaría de Educación Pública) in Jocotepec, which at one time accepted only deaf and hearing-impaired children and WAS known as the School for the Deaf, became a SEP CAM (Centro de Atención Multiple, public school for special needs children) more than 12 years ago. The SEP CAM system operates everywhere in Mexico, not just in Jocotepec. Any CAM accepts students with multiple disabilities, everything from vision and hearing disabilities to muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and severe mental retardation. In other words, there is no longer a specific School for the Deaf at Lakeside. On this and TOB, I often see people having one kind of benefit or another for the School for the Deaf. IMHO, that's not strictly above board, since a school for the deaf no longer exists. The CAM is just as worthy a recipient of charitable interest as the School for the Deaf was at one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicis4me Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 More Liana quote - "In other words, there is no longer a specific School for the Deaf at Lakeside. On this and TOB, I often see people having one kind of benefit or another for the School for the Deaf. IMHO, that's not strictly above board, since a school for the deaf no longer exists. The CAM is just as worthy a recipient of charitable interest as the School for the Deaf was at one time." I'll send your comments to the people who run the existing School for the Deaf in Ajijic, whom I personally know and I have donated much stuff to Casi Nuevo Thrift Shop in Riberas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Please do. I'd be interested in knowing more about the School for the Deaf in Ajijic. Could you start a new thread about it? I'm sure there are others who are also not aware of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicis4me Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Please do. I'd be interested in knowing more about the School for the Deaf in Ajijic. Could you start a new thread about it? I'm sure there are others who are also not aware of it. I don't know a lot about it other than 2 friends of mine served on their Board of Directors. I know the woman who runs Casi Nuevo Thrift Shop in Riberas across from 7-11. I have donated much and put stuff on consignment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bournemouth Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Casi Nuevo, John, benefits the school in Jocotepec - there is no school for the deaf in Ajijic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicis4me Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Casi Nuevo, John, benefits the school in Jocotepec - there is no school for the deaf in Ajijic. Thanks for straightening me out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks for straightening me out. Deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 More Liana, literally within the last few weeks the name was legally changed to the School for Special Needs. I posted this OP as it was an eye witness account of something that Many have raised money for and have loved every moment of doing so, including the result which I have written about. There are many deserving charities that need help, but In the past the school was known as The School for the Deaf, which is why you will have seen previous charity fundraisers being in that name. Again, literally in the last few weeks the name has changed to reflect that the school encompasses many different disabilities, Things are VERY above board. We all do what we can to the best of our abilities. I personally know the lady who organises the annual fashion show who gives absolute weeks of her time to organise that event and this year will be in aid of The School for Special Needs to reflect the new name change. The OP was literally to encourage those who have helped. I was trying to spread positivity, not become embroiled in a name issue which has recently been solved. We need bilingual people to help us with things like legalities and dealing with "the system" which we now have and our hope is that we can now move ahead with the website the next project to be translated into Spanish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 And to clarify The School for Special Needs formerly the School for the Deaf is located in Jocotopec, not Ajijic. The thrift store in Riberas is for the Jocotopec school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 So, any idea what the cost is of one of these hearing aids? I can just imagine how soul touching it was to see a child hear for the first time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Sasesu thanks for getting this back on track, and yes it WAS wonderful. Approximately each hearing aid costs about $550 US and tomorrow I will post Grace O'Briens website. We can try to reuse and fit old hearing aids as well but are really trying to get aids with solar batteries so as to cut down on ongoing expenses for the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennie Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 moreliana, i see by your profile that you live in mexico city? have you relocated back here? i am politely asking, as people consider you a valuable resource for ajijic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 moreliana, i see by your profile that you live in mexico city? have you relocated back here? i am politely asking, as people consider you a valuable resource for ajijic. Bennie, I live in Mexico City. I have no plans to move back to the Lake Chapala area. I get back there to visit friends from time to time. Although there have been many changes at Lakeside, there are many things that are still the same. Those are the things I post about on Chapala.com. I've been humbled on several occasions by other posters who have corrected whatever out-of-date information I've posted, and I try hard to steer clear of posting about the new improvements to the Lake Chapala area, those things of which I have no knowledge. With regard to this particular thread, I was happy to have been pulled up short by John (ajijicis4me) when he gave what appeared to be new information about an Ajijic school for the deaf. I asked him to elaborate so that I--and others on this board--would have current information. Well, guess what--it turns out that John was mistaken, not I. He graciously accepted correction by another poster. In addition, the OP posted later that the name of the school was changed only recently. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and believe that he means that the name of the charity was recently changed. The name of the SCHOOL was changed when it became a SEP CAM (Centro de Atención Multiple) more than 10 years ago. So, the bottom line for me is this: for the most part, I'll continue to post here about general Mexico information, Guadalajara information, and some Lake Chapala information. if I post erroneous information about something at Lake Chapala, please let me know. And thanks for the props, it's good to know that people appreciate what I share from long years of experience in Mexico. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 The name of the School for the Deaf has been changed and notarised. This (once again) was simply to spread some positivity through an eye witness account and not to be taken down with the legalities which are all completely above board. Unfortunately there seems to be some under current developing which honestly can be started on another thread here. Once again another post goes astray. More Liana, you have extensive local knowledge which I bow to, but rest assured that all is above board at the school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Ajijicrocks, I have never had the slightest doubt about honesty at the school. You're the one who brought that up. I simply said that it would be more straightforward for the charitable events that benefit the school be titled something other than for the "School for the Deaf". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajijicrocks Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 More Liana I reacted to you saying about things in your opinion being not above board and also giving me the benfit of the doubt. There is no doubt! I just wanted this to draw some positive attention and I hope that I can draw some more comments about the joy of the experience which was the idea of the post, so I want to put this to rest now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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