GE workers help center for the deaf

From: Cincinnati Enquirer, OH - 29 Jan 2003

The slow economy in 2002 had no effect on the Gifts of Hope Campaign, which benefits the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Institute in Price Hill, said Bill Bross, project leader for the General Electric Elfun Society. The society, composed of GE employees and retirees, sponsors the campaign.

Total contributions were $16,388, Bross said.

"This year's team went above and beyond in contributing many hours of hard work," Bross said. "Not only did the team do an outstanding job but the response from GE Elfun retirees was overwhelming."

The group gave a party at St. Rita's School for the Deaf in Evendale, which included some of the children who received gifts.

Items received in the 2002 Gifts of Hope Campaign included sign language, books, crayons, dolls, flashlights, flash cards, small toy animals, computers and a van donated by one of the committee members.

Bross said the van is being used to transport deaf children and adults to church-related events and social activities.

"Financial contributions will be used to send children to deaf camps, free of charge, in order to improve their communication skills with the deaf and hearing communities," Bross said.

He said additional sign language books will be purchased for hearing parents to learn American Sign Language and four Bible storybooks will be incorporated into the shared reading library at the Hartwell Elementary School, 8320 Vine St., Hartwell, and at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Institute, 3515 Warsaw Ave., Price Hill..

Also funds will be used to pay the tutors for the shared reading program and to purchase toys for the Gifts of Hope Program.

Copyright 1995-2003. The Cincinnati Enquirer, a Gannett Co. Inc. newspaper.