Heartland Receives Backing for Backpacks

While area school children have been enjoying a little down time and beating the heat of summer, the staff at Heartland Independent Living Center has been busy working on details of upcoming Back to School Fairs for the students of both Maries County school districts. 

“There has been outstanding response to this project.  We’ve seen so much generosity, from donations for supplies to area residents wanting to volunteer at the events,” said Tiffany Reid, Heartland’s Resource Development Coordinator.

TAP-T Phone Reconnects Dad & Daughter

Thanks to a hearing amplified telephone from Missouri Assistive Technology, Warren Venable is now able to have two-way phone conversations.  Using his new TAP-T phone to call his daughter in St. Louis, he says it’s the first time in his life he has been able to have a phone conversation with her. “We had a 30-minute conversation,” says Warren, “and it was wonderful hearing her voice.”  Warren’s wife, Sharon, said he was as excited as a kid at Christmas.

Warren Venable enjoys making birdhouses now that he’s retired.  With his new cordless amplified TAP-T phone for hearing impaired individuals, Warren can still be in phone contact while in his workshop in the barn.

Warren has been hearing impaired since the age of eight when his family home burned and his ears were scarred from the fire.  His hearing further degenerated from years of loud machinery in the candy factory where he worked.

After years of wearing hearing aids, Warren’s new insurance agency sent him to a different hearing specialist.  His audiologist informed him of the hearing amplified telephones available under the Telecommunications Access Program for Telephones (TAP-T.)   He was referred to Heartland Independent Living Center, a certified TAP-T provider, who assessed him as unable to use traditional telecommunications equipment due to disability.

Warren Venable displays one of the many styles of birdhouses and feeders he makes.  

Within a few weeks, Heartland Independent Living Specialist certified for the TAP-T program was at the Venable’s home with several styles of amplified phones to try out.  The Clarity XLC-2, a portable amplified cordless phone, worked best for Warren.  With a 200-foot range, he could take it with him to his workshop in the barn where he makes birdhouses.  “I can even hear it ring over the noise of the table saw,” says Warren.

Sharon, who owns a business in St. Clair, says the phone has really given her peace of mind.  She calls him from work to make sure he is OK, but prior to the TAP-T she would just leave a message as Warren couldn’t hear the phone ring.  When Warren saw the message light on, he would call her back and say he was fine, but there was no dialogue between them.  “Now he can hear the phone ring and actually talk to me,” says Sharon.  “It also voices what number is calling - - a verbal caller ID.”  In addition, the phone flashes lights when it rings.  “It lights up like a Christmas tree making it hard to miss,” says Sharon. “I only wish we had known about the TAP-T years ago.”