Cuzco & Lima, Peru & San Salvador, Peru

January 27, 2009

Starkey Hearing Foundation started off the 2009 mission season in the mystic mountains of Peru and continued on to see some splendors of El Salvador.  Hidden among the Incan treasures of Peru in Cuzco and Lima, the mission team was able to provide nearly 3,000 hearing aids to hearing-impaired people in need.  The overwhelming gratitude of children and parents that received the Gift of Hearing was humbling and heartwarming.  The mission team left Peru on a late night flight to start all over again the next morning in San Salvador, El Salvador.  They were greeted with traditional dancing and afterward began their work. By the end of the mission, the beaming smiles proved that more than an additional 500 hearing aids had been well-fitted.  By the end of the seven-day mission, a tired but satisfied team headed home knowing they had shared part of the dream - So the World May Hear.

The proud sponsors of the hearing missions to Peru and El Salvador were Mike Derylo and The Cheesecake Factory.

Starkey Hearing Foundation Raises $7.2 Million During Gala

The So The World May Hear gala, held at the St. Paul RiverCentre, raised $7.2 million – the most money raised to date. The 11th annual event also attracted the largest contingent of celebrity supporters since the event began, with notables from the worlds of entertainment, sports and philanthropy walking the red carpet and celebrating the spirit of giving and understanding through hearing.

Due to the events successful fundraising efforts, the Starkey Hearing Foundation announced it will fund two return hearing missions to Haiti and Israel. In addition, the money raised during the gala will be entirely to fund the Foundation’s various hearing health and awareness campaigns through the year, including domestic and international hearing missions.

The record number of 1,600+ guest were treated to performances by Reba, Meat Loaf, Miley Cyrus, John Rich, and Kevin Costner & Modern West. Honorees included Bill Clinton, Marlee Matlin, Doug Pitt and Randall J. Hogan. Other notable attendees included Whoopi Goldberg, Patricia Arquette, Maria Bello, Jordin Sparks, Larry Fitzgerald, Roy Williams and many more!

A special thank you to all of the Canadian attendees for their wonderful generosity and helping make this such a successful event. Your continued and growing support has a tremendous impact on the lives of children and adults around the world.