Ohio Valley Voices
news & updates
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Cycle for OVV Tomorrow, March 12th! |
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Spin with us tomorrow March 12th at the
OVV Cycle Fundraiser!
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Grab your water bottle, invite some friends, and
join us at Life Time Fitness in Mason as we cycle to
raise important funds for the children of OVV.
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Saturday, March 12th 2022
10:30-11:30 am
Life Time Fitness
8310 Wilkens Road
Mason, Ohio 45040
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A $20 donation secures your bike and funds a set
of cochlear batteries for one child. Only 50 spots are
available so hurry and reserve yours now.
Click below to buy your ticket!
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Alumni Spotlight – Lily DeBlasio |
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There are many things a hearing community takes for granted, like the sound of laughter or a bird’s song. Lily DeBlasio hears differently. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Lily was adopted by her mother Gina DeBlasio, and lives in Loveland, Ohio. According to Gina, Lily’s journey from Russia to becoming a student at Ohio Valley Voices is nothing short of miraculous.
Lily was diagnosed as deaf at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center when she was six months old. “I remember when Lily was officially diagnosed,” says Gina. “My brother said it was like air came into the room and we could finally breathe. Having a diagnosis enabled us to make plans to move forward.”
Lily’s hearing loss could pose a barrier to education and social integration. However, her family knew that children with hearing loss could benefit significantly from early diagnosis and appropriate interventions.
Knowing the hearing journey in front of her daughter, Gina leaped into action. “My sister knew someone on OVV’s Board of Trustees and immediately called her after learning of Lily’s diagnosis,” says Gina. “A phone call later and we met with Maria Sentelik, Executive Director at OVV, and shortly thereafter Lily started at OVV. She was only eighteen months old...” (read more)
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Have an impact now! Sign up to be an OVV monthly donor! |
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Save the Date: OVV Pickleball Tournament |
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Save the date
for OVV Pickleball
on May 1st!
Get ready for the first-ever OVV Pickleball Tournament—where every swing supports
our children on their speaking journeys!
Click below to reserve your spot now!
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Supporter Spotlight - John Caulfield |
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Why does John Caulfield support Ohio Valley Voices? His reason is simple: “Everyone needs to know about this work.”
For the past six years, John has served as a member of OVV’s Board of Trustees and Finance Committee. He describes the latter as being the financial sounding board for OVV. Referring to OVV’s Executive Staff, he says, “Wendy, Maria, and Molly are great stewards of capital for the organization. They know what they’re doing, and our committee provides objective feedback to give confidence to those decisions.”
On the Finance Committee, John works alongside Sandra Mills and Michael Wolf to review and make financial recommendations to the Board of Trustees, including those related to investments, capital expenditures, budgets, and appropriations. By focusing on development progress and projections, John and his fellow committee members also ensure that OVV is on track to meet future goals. Needless to say, John’s involvement is significant to the organization’s success.
In his professional life, John currently serves as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Phillips Edison & Company. Originally from New Orleans, he lived in Pittsburgh before moving to Cincinnati to attend Xavier University to earn a degree in accounting and his MBA... (read more)
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Give our kids fun and useful tools through OVV's Amazon Wishlist! |
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The OVV Gala was
a smashing success—thanks to you!
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Last month, our community gathered for
the 14th Annual Gala—a truly unforgettable
celebration of OVV's life-changing legacy.
You collectively donated over $230,000,
making the event our single biggest fundraiser
in Ohio Valley Voices history. UNBELIEVABLE!
We are so grateful for your generous
contributions, which guarantee a bright future for
each and every child in our program.
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Thank you for making our work possible—and for dancing
the night away with us!
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Want to relive all the 2022 Annual Gala magic?
Click below to watch the Gala Livestream.
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Staff Spotlight - Katelyn Krekeler |
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Once Katelyn Krekeler took a tour of OVV, she knew she wanted to be a part of the magic.
Katelyn is one of OVV’s amazing Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) Providers in the Toddler Program. Since joining the OVV family in 2013, Katelyn has also served as the Learning Center Coordinator and an LSL Provider in the Discovery and Learning Centers. Her responsibilities have ranged from providing parent education sessions to analyzing data and language samples.
Born in Cleveland, Katelyn has also lived in Solon and Harper’s Point, and she spent six years in Connecticut before moving back to Cincinnati. She attended the University of Cincinnati for her bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2011. Katelyn then received her master’s degree in Communication Disorders from Marshall University in 2013.
Katelyn says she first fell in love with working with children who are deaf and hearing impaired during her clinical placement in graduate school. She was placed at the Luke Lee Listening, Language, and Learning Lab (“The L”), which is the first preschool in West Virginia to provide oral education therapy to children with hearing loss.
After her experience at “The L,” it was clear to Katelyn what she wanted to do post-graduation. She began her search for spoken language programs in Cincinnati. Her internet job search led to the OVV website. After reading about the organization and watching the parent testimonials, she felt it was fate... (read more)
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Sign up for our newsletter to read the latest OVV announcements! |
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Alumni Summer Camp
registration is now open!
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This year we're offering two—yes, two!—alumni
camp experiences. Hurry and reserve your spot now to make summer memories that will last a lifetime!
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Click below to register now! |
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New Employee Announcement |
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Welcome to OVV, Kathrine! |
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Kathrine Hunter - Extended Day Aide
Kathrine Hunter loves working with children. She has volunteered in the kids' ministry at Solid Rock Church South for close to eight years and looks forward to one day starting a family and fostering children. Kathrine joined the Ohio Valley Voices staff as a part-time Extended Day Aide while she studies cosmetology at the Paul Mitchel School Cincinnati. Upon graduating, she hopes to use her cosmetology skills to cut children's hair so that they can feel good about themselves. In the meantime, she is thrilled to be a part of the OVV team and lend a hand however she can!
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Special Thanks to These Partners: |
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Tom and Karen Bosse
Mark and Laurie Dickman
Dr. Thomas and Kathleen Fischer
Mike and Mary Anne Hegner
Tyler and Lori Lang
Tommy Loveberry
Patrick and Abby McNerney
Matt and Sandra Peffly
Michelle Miller
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The Robert Weigand
and Lee Ketcham Fund for
Children with Disabilities
Jim and Mindi Albers
James and Jane Ceddia
Barbara Fitch
Dan and Barbara Molloy
Andrew and Diane Sweeny
Doug and Barbara Dressman
The William P. Anderson Foundation
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