History of Hear Indiana

1962 - Parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children from across the state begin to meet.

1964 - Rubella Epidemic; hearing loss cases quadrupled.

1971 - The Indiana Association for Hearing Impaired Children (IAHIC) was formally incorporated.

1975 - Public Law 94-142 passed - First version of law that is currently referred to as IDEA.

1976 - Any child with a hearing loss greater than 85dB was automatically referred for placement at the Indiana School for the Deaf.

1976 - 1st Volunteer Executive Secretary - Dues for IAHIC were $5.

1982 - 1st Educational Conference held at Ball State (Registration was $5).

1983 - First Paid Executive Secretary for IAHIC.

1983 - A two year old from Fort Wayne becomes the youngest child to receive a cochlear implant.

1985 - An 21 year old IAHIC member from Rockville becomes the first adult with congenital hearing loss (in the US) to receive a multi-channeled cochlear implant. Surgery performed by Dr. Jerry House.

1986 - Olympic Swimmer Jeff Float speaks at Annual Educational Conference.

1987 - Warren Estabrooks speaks at IAHIC Conference.

1989 - Board votes to change name to “Hear Indiana— The Association for Children with Hearing Impairment”.

1989 - Mission statement is revised.

1989 - First Youth Leadership Camp.

1990 - Dues are $10.

1991 - First Annual Golf Benefit held.

1992 - Dr. Richard Miyamoto speaks at Annual Educational Conference.

1995 - Miss America, Heather Whitestone, comes to Indiana.

1996 - 25th Anniversary Gala at Comedy Club.

1999 - Hear Indiana gets its first website.

2004 - Hear Indiana hosts Parent Advocacy Training.

2004 - First “TALK WALK” Fund-raiser held.

2005 - Board returns to 100% volunteer management.

2006 - AG BELL membership is required for HEAR INDIANA membership.

2007 - Board votes to change name to “Hear Indiana, a Chapter of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.”

2007 - Board votes to use “deaf and hard-of-hearing” terminology instead of “hearing impaired”.

2008 - Board hires an Executive Director again.

2008 - Hear Indiana receives $50,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

2008 - Hear Indiana wins AG Bell awards for Best Newsletter and Best Educational Programming.

2008 - Hear Indiana raises over $25,000 at the 5th Annual Talk.Walk.Run

2009 - Hear Indiana raises $45,000 for 6th Annual Talk Walk Run.

2009 -Record set of attendance (~250) at Hear Here Conference on Listening and Spoken Language.

2009- Patty Spitler, TV Personality and host of PetPalsTV.com become Hear Indiana's first Spokesperson.

2010- Hear Indiana hosts Inaugural Not-So-Silent Auction to celebrate forty years of existence. This event raises over $12,000!

2010- Hear Indiana raises $50,000 for 7th Annual Talk Walk Run.

2010- Hear Indiana wins the AG Bell Award for Best Public Relations Campaign for Doing Deaf Differently!

Join us and we'll make history together!