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SERTOMA CHRISTMAS
Bismarck, ND
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
SERTOMA CHRISTMAS IN BISMARCK, NORTH
DAKOTA
1-
DUCK RACE 2013
HELP NEEDED
3
10 WAYS TO SAVE
ENERGY & MONEY
ON NEW YEARS
EVE
3-
A CHRISTMAS
CARAVAN FOR
KIDS
5
A STORY ABOUT
HEARING LOSS
6,
THE CHRISTMAS
PARTY RECAP
8
2
4
8
S
anta Claus holding up presents and a horse-drawn sleigh are two of dozens of
specially constructed light figures and scenes at the annual Christmas in the
Park located at Sertoma Park in Bismarck. The Bismarck Sertoma Club sponsored attraction offers a variety of large and small secular and religious-themed displays.
Christmas in the Park
SPECIAL POINTS
OF INTEREST:
 Birthdays & Anniversaries pg 10
 Your Board, pg 9
 Your Committees pg 7
-Where: Sertoma Park
-When: open every night through Jan. 2 from 6 to 10 p.m.
-Cost: $5 per car
Christmas in the Park is up and running again this year in Sertoma Park, offering visitors a
drive-through light display and the chance to help the community.
Sponsored by the Sertoma Club, the event involves local businesses that sponsor light
displays throughout the park. The $5 fee to get into the park contributes to numerous local
projects.
For the first time, the entrance to the event also will serve as a drop-off center for the Ruth
Meiers Hospitality House, said Anne Bry a member of the Sertoma Club.
“We’re asking people to bring hats, scarves, gloves and non-perishable food, and Ruth
Meiers will be picking them up and distributing them,” Bry said.
(Continued, page 2)
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SERTOMA CHRISTMAS IN BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
(continued from page 1)
Bry, who is the co-chairman of the club’s speech and hearing committee, said the Sertoma Club still is committed to providing help for people with hearing problems and difficulty with communication.
Bry said the $5 donation goes to a budget of more than $10,000 that helps both adults and children get fitted
for hearing aids, as well as to scholarships for speech therapy classes and to help outfit classrooms to have better
acoustics so all students can hear the teacher.
“We set up audio enhancement equipment throughout the school system. It's like bringing microphones into
the classroom,” Bry said.
The Sertoma Club also uses the money to fund improvements in the Sertoma Park area, funding the zoo and
the Bismarck Sertoma Clubhouse, which is used year round.
Christmas in the park opened last Friday and will continue though Jan. 2.
10 p.m.
It is open nightly from 6 p.m. to
http://bismarcktribune.com/news/local/it-s-christmas-in-the-park-at-bismarck-s-sertoma/article_d27d406e-fcdc-11df-a2c8-001cc4c03286.html
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DUCK RACE STEERING COMMITTEE 2013
For future Steering Committee meetings we have scheduled a conference
room at the library for noon on the following dates. We hope these times and
days work for you.
Tuesday, Jan. 15
Wednesday, Feb. 13
Wednesday, Mar 13
Tuesay, April 16
Wednesday, May 15 - Tentative -Too early to schedule
10 Ways to Celebrate 2012 to save energy & money
By SUSANNA KIM (@skimm)
Dec. 28, 2011
Homebodies and partygoers can save energy and money with these
last-minute New Year's Eve ideas from four food, travel and event
experts to celebrate 2012.
Have a fondue party.
Steve Carlson, CEO at food review website FoodSmackdown.com, suggests your guests bring one item to "dip" that
shows their new year resolution. For example, bring bread and write on a tag, "I plan to make more dough (money) this
year." Or bring pineapple or strawberries and write "I plan to be healthier this year." Bring angel food cake and write, "I
plan to be more of an angel this year and give back".
"The most creative one wins a prize," Carlson said.
Set a table in an eclectic fashion, instead of matching.
If you decide to host a gathering, feel free to expand outside of one color scheme or theme.
"Then you don't have to have a bunch of matching place settings and can even find flatware, plates and cups at resale
stores," Pykes-George, soon to be featured on the Food Network next year, said.
Buy party items on sale after the holidays this year and use next year.
Find creative, colorful decorations at department stores or whatever retailer is selling them at a discount. You can usually buy decorative items at 75 percent off after the holidays, Pykes-George said.
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12 Ways to Celebrate 2012 to save energy & money
(continued from page 3)
Buy pre-made chocolate or pastry shells.
If you want to make a decorative, elegant, yet simple dessert, buy pre-made chocolate or pastry shells. Take a pudding
mix, then whip up some heavy cream. Fold the two together, spoon into the shells and garnish with a raspberry, powdered
sugar, chocolate shavings or another garnish.
"They are then bite-sized and really yummy," Pykes-George said.
Who brought what?
Carlson suggests this simple, interactive game with a group of friends or family. Everyone writes down one food or drink
item they are going to give up for the New Year and put it in a jar. Someone reads them and people guess who wrote the
item.
Eat in.
It's a simple financial reminder everyone needs periodically. Cooking rather than eating out is a great way to start 2012,
Carlson said.
For $4.99 to $5.99 per pound on sale this time of year, you can buy about a half pound of prime rib per person. Or, you can
make a ham for cheap -- less than $1 a pound. Both meats are generally on sale this time of year at all grocery stores, Carlson said.
Root beer floats.
Carlson said for a family-friendly event that is great for kids, you could host a root beer float party.
"Everybody can raise their glass for a toast at midnight -- as the caffeine will help keep you all up until midnight," he said.
"Ice cream and soda is on sale this time of year. Be creative."
Play New Year's Bingo.
Nikki Carlson said make Bingo cards with squares listing funny things that happened to you and friends throughout the
year. Depending on how candid people are in your group, you could enjoy learning about each other's years.
Give your party some spark.
Buy sparklers ahead of time that you can buy for cheap prices online through wedding websites, and light them at midnight outside with guests. Be careful about any fire or accident hazards. Or, you can make homemade cupcakes and buy
toppers online at edibledetails.com for a professional look.
A trip down 2011’s memory lane
Nikki Carlson, co-founder at ChicExecs PR, and Carlson's wife, has a simple decorating idea:
Put up clothes lines in the house and clothes-pin pictures throughout the house of events that happened in the last year.
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A SERTOMA CHRISTMAS
GALLATIN, TENNESSEE
Christmas Caravan for Kids is an annual effort of the
Gallatin Sertoma Club to raise money for less fortunate children in Sumner County so that they may have
a better Christmas.
Each year, a series of events are held to raise
the needed funds. Proceeds are distributed so that
each child in the group selected will be given a set
amount of money and taken on a shopping trip via
Entertainer Coaches provided by Music City Coach, All
Access Coach, Corporate Motorcoach Travel, and NiteTrain Coach in the month of December.
The amount of money each child receives and the
number of children we're able to help depends on the
support of our Sponsors and those who attend our
event.
Unfortunately, many children in Sumner
County have little or no Christmas experience at all.
Gallatin Sertoma Club desires to change that by
launching and supporting Christmas Caravan for Kids,
to help raise the needed funds so that some of the less
fortunate children in Sumner County could have a better Christmas.
sponsorships and the additional activities surrounding
it. This only happens because of the generosity of local individuals and business owners who give generously of their time and funds.
We do all that we can to make sure that every
dollar counts toward our main goal, putting a smile on
a child’s face for Christmas! Because of you, another
child can have a better Christmas!
Nearly every dollar raised goes to provide
Christmas for each child each December, chosen
through a very accurate and strategic process that
qualifies them. They are provided dinner by a local
business while meeting their shopping sponsors and
visiting Santa for group photos. They are then taken
on a shopping trip with their adult shopping sponsor
via our entertainment coach sponsors. Each year our
kids receive not only a shopping trip to buy whatever
they want up to a certain amount, but other nice surprises provided by local business donors and other
raised funds.
GALLERY OF SMILING KIDS SHOPPING
Our desire is to increase the number of kids we
can help each year. The amount of money each child
receives and the number of children we are able to
help depends on participation at events, corporate
http://gallatinsertomaclub.org/caravan.htm
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My Story – Living with Hearing Loss
(By Lou Touchette)
Growing up on a large
farm and being the eldest of five
children placed responsibilities on
me at a young age. At the age of
9-years my father taught me how
to drive tractors. Sometimes I
would be plowing a field with the
engine at full throttle for several
hours at a time. Back then tractors
did not have mufflers to dampen
the noise. Nor were there sound
protectors that could be worn over
ones ears. For the next ten years
this abuse of my hearing continued.
In 1961 I joined the US
Force and for twenty years I was a
Jet fighter aircraft mechanic. My
daily routine consisted of long
hours on the flightline exposed to
the screaming of jet engines. In
those days there was no emphasis on the wearing of ear protection. I suppose it may have been
available but when it was suggested that the noise might hurt my
ears, being 19-years of age, I was
convinced that I was tough and
could “take it.” Years later it became mandatory to wear protection when exposed to engine
noise but by then I’m sure the
damage had been done.
I should have had some
clue that I might have a hearing
loss when in the mid 1960’s I developed tinnitus (a ringing in my
ears). Perhaps I’m unusual but I
eventually discovered that my
brain had accepted the ringing as
music in the form of an orchestra
playing in the distance. I’ve always been a person who enjoyed
singing and/or humming so this
was great. It was not annoying
and almost enjoyable accompani-
ment at times when I was humming a tune.
By 1977 I had quickly
moved up through the enlisted
ranks and had become a Maintenance Superintendent at the Air
Defense Command Headquarters.
It was only when my boss called
me into his office after I had hosted a maintenance conference, did
I realize that I may have a hearing
loss. When the General said he
wanted me to have my hearing
checked I was both confused and
embarrassed. He told me that
when I was taking questions from
attendees at the end of the conference, that I was giving answers
that had nothing to do with the
questions being asked.
So, in 1977 I was diagnosed with a severe hearing loss
and fitted with two hearing aids.
Since then I have gone from those
ugly black military style black
glasses with hearing aids built into
the stems to modern digital Behind the Ear hearing aids with telecoils.
My hearing loss story did
not end with my retirement from
the air force. I had a follow on career as a quality control inspector
with the Boeing Aircraft Company.
Until my subsequent retirement
from Boeing in 2000 I worked in
the factory where aircraft were
being assembled. The noise level
from all of the riveting continually
filled the air. By the time I had retired from Boeing my hearing loss
had gone from severe to profound.
In the early 1990’s I joined
a local chapter of the national Self
Help for Hard of Hearing people
(SHHH) which has subsequently
become Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA). It was
while a member that I was introduced to the FM System and the
neckloop. My first act was to buy
new hearing aids with telecoils.
Soon after I heard about the
“Induction Loop” and purchased
one for our local SHHH chapter.
Over the past 15-years I
have become a strong advocate
for “Looping.” The Induction loop
today is affectionately referred to
as the “Hearing Loop.” After moving to Arizona I joined the board of
Adult Loss of Hearing Association (ALOHA) in Tucson where I
have taken on the challenge to
“Loop Tucson.” As part of this undertaking I give demonstrations on
looping to various groups upon
request. I conduct workshops to
train people on how to install
loops in their homes. To date I
have over 100 loop installations
behind me and am dedicated to
teaching others what I know.
I’m inclined to believe that
my hearing loss was due to noise
exposure. However, my mother
developed a severe hearing loss
in her late 50’s and by the time
she died at the age of 84 it had
progressed to Profound. She had
no noise exposure. The only other
family member with a hearing loss
was my grandfather on my father’s side of the family. Being a
farmer and driving tractors and
other farm machinery for over 50years I think that like me, his profound hearing loss was noise induced. read text assignments and
let others with good hearing take
notes in class.
(Continued, page 8)
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YOUR TOPEKA EVENING CLUB COMMITTEES:
AWARDS/INCENTIVES COMMITTEE
Dan Hejtmanek, Chairperson
Deb Zimmerman
ATTENDANCE CHAIRPERSON
Bernice Hejtmanek
AUDITING COMMITTEE
Dennis Handke, Chairperson
Pat Riordan
CLUB HISTORIAN
Terry Beck
DUCK RACE COMMITTEE
Marc Linton and
Donna Linton, Co-Chairpersons
MEMBERHSIP COMMITTEE
Terry Beck, Chairperson
Celia Cuthbertson, Norm Stahl
Steve Lachowsky
NEWSLETTER CHAIRPERSON
Dara Montclare
[email protected]
PROGRAM COMMITTEE
Marc Linton, Chairperson
Matt Dowd, Mark Braun,
Jim Deines, Bill Riphahn
RETENTION COMMITTEE
Terry Cuthbertson, Chairperson
Matt Dowd
Pat Riordan
SAFE EARS COMMITTEE
Veronica Laliberte, Chairperson
Marc & Donna Linton, Terry & Celia
Cuthbertson, George Laliberte
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
Celia Cuthbertson, Chairperson
Terry Beck
Deb Zimmerman
SERTOMAN-OF-THE-YEAR COMMITTEE
George Laliberte
Matt Dowd
SERVICE TO MANKIND COMMITTEE
Bill Riphahn, Chairperson
Celia Cuthbertson
SHARP COMMITTEE
Deb Zimmerman, Chairperson
Debbie Escobar
SOCIAL/BANQUETS COMMITTEE
George Laliberte, Chairperson
Celia Cuthbertson
Veronica Laliberte
SPONSORSHIP COMMITTEE
Dan Hejtmanek, Chairperson
Celia Cuthbertson
All committees remain open for additional members. If interested, please contact
Shawn Jurgensen at [email protected].
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CHRISTMAS PARTY:
DECEMBER 11th
Terry and his wife, Christine, hosted the Sertoma Club
Christmas party. There was plenty of food upstairs and
downstairs with Christmas decorations that rivaled any Macy’s Department Store displays I ever saw! Sorry, I forgot my
camera, so use your imagination and picture all of us having
a splendid time as we saw some people we haven’t seen in a
while and got to know others that were new to Sertoma.
Wishing you all a happy holiday season, and thanks Terry and
Christine for getting us started in your beautiful home.
My Story – Living with Hearing Loss
(By Lou Touchette)
(continued from page 6)
We’d share what we had learned. This was a very
effective solution to my poor hearing. Today I have
an arsenal of tricks that serve me well. I am however,
still trying to reverse an old bad habit of bluffing. I
find that I do this when my brain gets tired and Auditory Fatigue has set in (my brain no longer is able to
process what it thinks it is hearing).
The future is looking brighter for me. Inspired
by a lady whom I serve with on the ALOHA Board, I
have an appointment to be evaluated for a Cochlear
Implant (CI). Like me she was constantly struggling
to hear but after receiving her CI a few years ago,
she is like a new person. She is no longer an introvert and has become a very outgoing person. I figure
if she could do it, so can I. Stay tuned!!!
8
http://lwhl.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/My%
20Story_Lou%20Touchette_no%20color.pdf
EVENING CLUB SERTOMANS: I’d love to highlight
some of our own members or member’s friends. If
you, or anyone you know is willing to tell their hearing
loss story, let me know. [email protected].
Thanks!!
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2012—2013 OFFICERS
FISCAL TERM:
P RE SID ENT
SHAWN
JULY 2, 2012—JUNE 30, 2013
J URG EN SEN
V IC E - P R ES ID ENT —P R ES I DENT
PAT R IO RDA N
EL ECT
V IC E - P R ES ID ENT —SE CO N D
MA RC LI NT O N
SE C RETA RY
DE B ZI M ME RMA N
T REA S U R ER
DE B ZI M ME RMA N
O N E -Y EA R
T WO -Y E A
T ER
T ER
CEL
(MOR E
BOA R D
DI RE C T O RS :
R BOA RD D IR E C T O R
RY B EC K
RY C UT H B ER T SO N
IA C UT H B ER T SO N
A N D / OR
C OR REC T ION S
9
TO
F OL L OW
S HO RTL Y)
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B I R T HDAYS / A N N IV E RS A RIE S
BIRTHDAYS
ANNIVERSARIES in
SERTOMA:
Dec 7
Joe Cox
Jan 16
Bernice Hejtmanek
January ‘73 Lee Dodson
Jan 21
Bill Riphahn
January ‘84 Jeff Jones
Jan 25
Deb Zimmerman
January ‘09 Jay Bachman
SERTOMA CLUB UPCOMING EVENTS
SAVE THE DATE:
April 18-20, 2013 Sertoma Annual Convention, St. Louis, MO
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TOPEKA EVENING SERTOMA CLUB
REMINDER - Dinner meetings are held the
first and third Tuesday evenings of every month at
Jayhawk Towers
in the Senate Room at 5:30pm
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