Active Support Groups for John Tracy Clinic
Active Support Groups
for John Tracy Clinic
AMVETS AUXILIARY
Patty Piening, Second Vice President - Child Welfare
St. Marys, OH
Founded 1952
 AMVETS Auxiliary, a national
volunteer organization representing families of American veterans, has been
a partner with John Tracy Clinic since 1975.
AMVETS Auxiliary provides John Tracy Clinic with a national framework for fund
raising among a dedicated group of Americans. The 450 posts contribute a portion
of the funds raised at their individual events to the Clinic in support of the
Correspondence Courses and other programs.
Members of the posts join in a long tradition at John Tracy Clinic to give
each child who is tested or enrolled a teddy bear to take home. Volunteers from
AMVETS design and fabricate their own bears for the Clinic free of charge. Hundreds
of teddy bears from AMVETS Auxiliary have been given away to the children over
the years.
AMVETS auxiliary organizes an annual convention to showcase its philanthropic
activities. The Clinic is always invited to promote its services through a booth
set up on the convention floor, and Clinic families in the host city are asked
to give testimonials on their experiences at John Tracy Clinic or in one of
its Correspondence Courses.
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BRENTWOOD GUILD
Nel Steele Taliaferro, President
Founded 1952
 The members of the
Brentwood Guild have dedicated their time and raised thousands of dollars in
support of John Tracy Clinic over the more than 50-year history of the guild.
Through their exemplary efforts, the doors of communication have been opened
for countless young children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Brentwood Guild began through the dedication of C.D and Isabelle LeBlanc. The
LeBlancs were close friends of Louise and Spencer Tracy, who founded John Tracy
Clinic in honor of their deaf son John. Having a flair for fashion, Mrs. LeBlanc
and a key group of other dedicated women, launched the Golden Tones Benefit
to raise money for the Clinic. The event, later called the Annual Golden Tones
Fashion Show, Boutique and Luncheon, continued for many years to raise support
for the children along with awareness of the Clinic's mission.
The Brentwood Guild continues to sponsor the Clinic's International Summer
Session picnic for parents, children and their siblings who come from around
the world for a three-week intensive session. The women and their spouses provide
the food and serve the families at this fun and festive affair. And, during
the holidays, the Guild plays Santa each year by providing needed toys for the
Clinic's Preschool.
For many years, Brentwood Guild members conducted hearing screenings at preschools
in their community in an effort to detect hearing loss at the earliest possible
stage in a child's development. In addition, two of the members volunteered
in the Clinic's Correspondence Course Program for 20 years, assisting parents
around the world in opening the doors of communication with their deaf and hearing-impaired
children.
In the course of organizing fundraising events and conducting membership activities,
the members of the Brentwood Guild have forged strong ties with the community.
Their energy and enthusiasm has resulted in much publicity and goodwill for
the families at John Tracy Clinic.
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DESERT FRIENDS
Marge Perkins, President
Founded 1978
Palm Desert, California
 Though its fundraising activities, community awareness campaigns, and its ambitious
hearing screening program, Desert Friends demonstrates a strong commitment to
families of children with hearing loss.
Desert Friends of John Tracy Clinic was founded by a group of local women to
educate the desert community about the availability of Clinic services for preschool
children with hearing impairments. That year, the volunteer group organized
the first of many annual fundraisers to attract support for the Clinic.
In 1987, Desert Friends established its major fundraiser centering on the members'
love of sports - namely, golf and tennis. Mr. Chas "Buddy" Rogers
served as Honorary Chairman for the first event and the golfers competed for
the Mary Pickford Perpetual Trophy. Thus began what has become the annual Desert
Friends Classic, which now includes an auction and a bridge tournament as well.
Each spring this popular event attracts enthusiastic response from merchants,
donors and competitors around the community. The Mary Pickford Foundation, through
Buddy Rogers' family, continues to provide major support to the Desert Friends
and the Clinic.
Each year the Desert Friends hosts other fundraisers in support of John Tracy
Clinic, upon suggestions received from its members. Recently, a MaahJong tournament
and a Jewelry Showcase have been added to the annual list of events.
Seeking to make a direct impact on its community, Desert Friends established
a program of annual hearing screenings for Coachella Valley preschoolers in
1979. The program received a boost in 1984, when Mrs. LeRoy Craton was tapped
for Desert Friends. Mrs. Craton's nursing background laid the foundation for
what has become the most extensive, free service of its kind in the region.
Today, Desert Friends has 16 certified volunteer audiometrists and more than
25 other members who are trained as assistants. In a program that has grown
every year since it began, the Guild gives hundreds of children in Coachella
Valley daycare centers and preschools free hearing screenings every year.
Desert Friends takes a strong interest in raising awareness of early intervention
in the acquisition of spoken language among children with a hearing loss. The
volunteer organization regularly arranges guest speakers, conducts field trips
and hosts other events to promote the work of John Tracy Clinic.
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LONG BEACH LEAGUE
Jackie Fritz, President
Founded 1966
Long Beach, California
The Long Beach League was formed to help make possible the establishment of
a satellite facility for John Tracy Clinic in Long Beach. John Tracy Clinic's
Long Beach Demonstration Home was first housed in a tiny apartment to serve
families in the immediate area. The Long Beach Center, as it is now called,
has since moved into a permanent home and expanded its services to include Audiological
Testing and Parent Classes.
The members of the League have organized a number of events over the years
to benefit the families and children at both John Tracy Clinic locations. They
once hosted an annual celebrity golf tournament, called Tee Off For Tots, and
they offer an annual Holiday Home Tour in the Bixby Knolls area of Long Beach.
Their annual dinner and auction has been a featured event for over 20 years.
The Long Beach League for John Tracy Clinic is an active support group that
annually solicits new members. It is a very social group and quite popular in
the Long Beach area.
Through connections made by the Long Beach League, generous gifts have been
given to the Long Beach Center by the Carl E. Wynn Foundation and TRW Employees
Charity Organization.
The Long Beach League for John Tracy Clinic was instrumental in bringing the
services for families with deaf children to the Long Beach, South Bay and Orange
County areas and continues to be an active force for supporting the Clinic's
mission throughout the Los Angeles area and worldwide.
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ORANGE COUNTY GUILD
Susan Moran, President
Santa Ana, California
Founded 1964
The Orange County Guild was
founded by a parent of a deaf child enrolled at John Tracy Clinic. Its mission
is "to provide funds for John Tracy Clinic's worldwide efforts to help
hearing-impaired children attain a normal, productive life."
The Guild started its first year with a benefit event called the Peacock Hill
Horse Show at the Peacock Hill Range in the North Tustin area. The Horse Show
was underwritten by a number of local businesses, box holders, patrons and trophy
sponsors. The Peacock Hill Horse Show became a successful fundraiser and a Class
B National Horse Show for 15 years until the ranch was sold.
Since 1978, the Orange County Guild has hosted an Invitational Golf Tournament and auction, which is attended by community leaders, business people and celebrities. The tournament, which takes place at El Niguel Country Club, Laguna Nigel, is now hosted by the extraordinary Shawn Parr, actor and popular country music radio DJ on Go Country 105 FM. Included is an awards banquet, along with silent and oral auctions.
The Guild draws much of its strength from the very capable leadership of several
longtime volunteers and their families, and a second generation of members has
now emerged through their sons and daughters.
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PARENTS OF JOHN TRACY CLINIC
Los Angeles, California
Founded 1945
The members of the Parents
of John Tracy Clinic have a fundamental commitment to their own children
who are deaf or hard of hearing. Yet, they are still able to find a place in
their hearts to help others. The Parents of John Tracy Clinic was the very first
support group to be formed on behalf of the Clinic. It dates back to the earliest
days of the Clinic.
The group consists of parents of children currently enrolled in the Preschool
Program along with many of those that participate in the Parent/Infant Program.
The Parents raise money in a variety of ways, including personal solicitations
of friends, family, and employers, and the sale of opportunity prizes.
Every year the members of this support group hold a Staff Appreciation Dinner
with a raffle, the proceeds from which are donated to the Clinic. In addition
they inventory and distribute the Clinic's logo products, take care of supplies
for parent meetings and many other activities.
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SAN MARINO GUILD
Judy Beaudet & Alice Murray, Co-presidents
Pasadena, California
Founded 1953
The San Marino Guild was founded by Mrs. H. Ben Caldwell, the mother of a boy
with hearing loss. Its mission is to engage in non-political and non-sectarian
activities to further the work, purposes and aims of John Tracy Clinic.
In 1955, the members launched a 30-year tradition known as the Grape Festival.
The Festival, with its high-quality entertainment and gourmet food, was modeled
after an annual event held in the tiny Republic of San Marino in northern Italy.
All proceeds benefited the Clinic.
Continuing on through the 1980s and 1990s, the Guild held many other fundraising
activities for the Clinic, including rummage sales, holiday card solicitations,
social teas and an annual Fashion Show and Luncheon.
Today, the Guild's annual "Day at the Races" continues an over 50-year
commitment to the Clinic.
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Contact Mary Ann Bell: mabell@jtc.org,
(213) 748-5481, ext. 229.
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