Giving Back

Play it Forward: A Children's CD Drive

"Music can heal. It can do more than ease the pain.
It can throw a lifeline to kids who can't be reached in any other way."
- Paul McCartney, reflecting on Music Therapy

Hello from Name Your Tune! By now, you likely know that a portion from the sale of Name Your Tune CDs is donated to Hear Here, the non-profit, charitable organization that purchases hearing aids for children through the Hospital For Sick Children. In September, with this same spirit, together with my husband Eric, we were very excited to launch PLAY IT FORWARD. A new initiative in support of The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund, PLAY IT FORWARD was conceived to collect new and pre-loved CDs to be distributed across Canada in support of Music Therapy.

With the support and generosity from our customers, friends and colleagues, our goal of 10,000 CDs was more than doubled in the end. Together with radio stations, magazines and newspapers covering and supporting PLAY IT FORWARD across Canada, we received more than 20,000 CDs!

We all know that music is something that we enjoy for ourselves and we enjoy sharing it with others. Never has this been more clear to me than now, as the mother of a four-year old who loves to sing and dance. What I have enjoyed the most about Name Your Tune, is hearing from you about how much the kids are enjoying it. This PLAY IT FORWARD CD Drive encouraged all of us to share the music that we love with others ... PLAY IT FORWARD.

On behalf of Eric, The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund, and all the literally hundreds of places that will be receiving and benefiting from the CDs, I'd like to thank you for your generous support.

For more information on The Canadian Music Therapy Trust Fund, please visit : http://www.musictherapytrust.ca

For more information about PLAY IT FORWARD, contact us at info@nameyourtune.com.

"Music can reach places that are completely impenetrable by anything else in the universe,
including the most mysterious parts of our minds.
We should use is to soothe, stimulate, heal and rehabilitate."
- Alan Cross, Host and Program Director, 102.1 FM, The Edge, Toronto

Annual Hear Here Funfest

What is Hear Here?

Hear Here is a non-profit charitable organization that purchases hearing aids for children. Hear Here is administered through The Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto. Hear Here was founded in 2000 by Eric Alper and his audiologists Chris Kyroglou and Nick Veronico of Union Hearing Aid Center in Toronto. For more information please visit www.uhac.net.

Hear Here Funfest 2007

Now Announced - date, time and place for 2007!

Sunday, September 16, 2007
Camp Robin Hood, 10243 Reesor Road, Markham, Ontario
Over $10,000 in prizes to be won just by attending!
FREE ADMISSION!
$10 per child, NEW $20 Family Pass to Play All Day!
Many new inflatables including a mechanical bull!
Activities include Archery, Canoeing, Heidi The Clown and Face painting, Tricky Ricky's Magic Show, and lots of animals to be seen and held..and more chances to win a Playstation 3, PSP, Nintendo Win, DS Systems and much, much more!

For more information, please contact Union Hearing Aid Centre Phone: 416-364-2264 email: info@uhac.net

Organized by Toronto area audiologists Chris Kyroglou and Nick Veronico along with music industry publicist Eric Alper (who also wears hearing aids), Hear Here is one of the only gatherings in the country to benefit hearing-impaired children. The 6th annual funfest will be held on Sunday, September 16th at Camp Robin Hood in Markham, Ontario. More than 2,000 people enjoyed themselves so much last year, while at the same time, raising over $10,000, bringing the total amount raised over $50,000. Chris, Nick and Eric just had to do it again for 2007.

With over 15 years of experience between them, Chris and Nick are dedicated to increasing access to hearing aids and other hearing devices for children. Many hearing-impaired children are not able to afford the aids largely due to government cutbacks and changes in the legislation. "The cost of hearing aids keeps going higher and higher and most parents just can't afford them, even with the government grant, if they even qualify," says Chris. "Factoring in additional audiological costs will cause a lot of financial grief for most hearing impaired people. Hearing aids can range anywhere from $800 for a basic model to over $2000 for a high-end digital product."

Responding to the need they witnessed in many of their clients, the idea for raising money came to Chris and Nick and their sponsors joined them enthusiastically. The monies raised will be donated to the Peter and Margery Keller Fund, a non-profit charity based at the Hospital for Sick Children. The fund makes hearing aids available to those who need them.

The Union Hearing Aid Centre in Toronto has been heralded as dedicated to ensuring all individuals with hearing loss are able to fully participate in their communities through the use of assistive technology and the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative hearing technology.

"Impaired hearing is a sensitive issue, and we're just trying to reach out to those who may feel too intimidated to ask for help financially for something that should be a basic right," said Chris. "Union Hearing Aid has already helped so many people, and it's refreshing to see so many people coming out to Hear Here."

"Hear Here helps to level the field for young people by having access to hearing aids," noted Nick. "So, we are very pleased with the generosity of both our partners and the many volunteers this event."