HOUSE EAR INSTITUTE HOSTS CAMP FOR DEAF KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Kids Enjoy Weekend of Fun and Personal Growth at Special Camp

LOS ANGELES -- May 24, 2005 -- Several Los Angeles-area organizations will visit deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families at a weekend camp offered by the House Ear Institute. Family Camp is offered as a forum for sharing feelings, comparing family experiences and exchanging information. The children enjoy activities in arts, crafts, safety, dance expression, nature and sports in a supportive atmosphere that fosters growth, self-awareness and communication, while parents attend panel discussions that help families cope with various issues in raising a child with a hearing loss.

An alumni player from the Los Angeles Dodgers will offer words of inspiration to the kids and a few baseball pointers on the sports field. Other special attractions at camp this year include the Wildlife Waystation, which will introduce campers to interesting wild birds and animals, the Aquarium of the Pacific will bring their touch tank aquarium, the American Medical Response paramedics will teach emergency first aid skills, the Ventura County Fire Department will provide fire safety demonstrations, and "Dorothy" from The Wizard of Oz will lead story time for the younger kids. The House Ear Institute's 20th Anniversary "Sharing is Caring" Family Camp will be held at Camp Hess Kramer from June 3-5 in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains overlooking North Malibu.

"While other programs address the needs of children with hearing loss, our Family Camp programs help to foster coping and communication skills as well as introduce educational resources that can influence a child's development," said Marilee Potthoff, director of marketing, HEI. "We thank the Ann Peppers Foundation, Lied Foundation, Lon V. Smith Foundation, Jelly Belly Candy Company and the Los Angeles Associates of the House Ear Institute for making this experience available to these special families in the Los Angeles area."

About the House Ear Institute
The House Ear Institute (HEI) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life. HEI scientists are exploring the causes of auditory disorders at the cellular and molecular level as well as the complex relationship between the ear and brain, and refining the application of auditory implants, diagnostic techniques and hearing aids. For more information please call (213) 483-4431 or visit the Web site at www.hei.org.