EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.—July 14, 2009—An
evening of entertainment and
fundraising that included
performances by Elton John, Billy
Crystal, Tony Bennett, and Gladys
Knight resulted in Starkey Hearing
Foundation, the global leader in
delivering the gift of hearing,
raising more than $5 million to
support its mission of helping the
world to hear. Starkey Hearing
Foundation hosted its Ninth Annual
“So the World May Hear” Awards Gala
on Sunday, July 12 at the
RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. The
funds raised will enable the
Foundation to distribute 50,000
hearing aids to children in need
worldwide.
“Elton John. Billy Crystal. Tony
Bennett. Gladys Knight. What a
line-up, and what a magnificent
evening of entertainment,
celebration and generosity. The kind
of generosity that is simply
unprecedented. The kind of
generosity that is born of passion
and commitment. The kind of
generosity that will allow us to
open the world as we know it—a world
of music, laughter, language, and
love—to kids all over the world by
giving them the gift of hearing,”
said William F. Austin, founder of
Starkey Hearing Foundation. “I
extend my heartfelt gratitude to
everyone who made our 2009 Gala a
success.”
The evening featured the comedy of
Billy Crystal as well as
performances by Gladys Knight, Tony
Bennett, Ethan Bortnick, and Nita
Whitaker. Elton John capped off the
evening with a one-hour performance
that included such hits as “Rocket
Man,” “Your Song,” “Daniel,” and
“Circle of Life.” A live auction
included a hearing mission trip to
Kenya to fit 5,000 people with
hearing aids. That auction item
earned the evening’s top bid of
$250,000. The inspirational evening
would not have been complete without
the recognition of others who have
made their own significant
contributions to humanity. This
year’s award recipients included
comedian Norm Crosby; the 1961 New
York Yankees, who were represented
by
Moose Skowron, Whitey Ford, Ralph
Terry, Bob Turley, and Mickey
Mantle’s son David Mantle;
Minnesota philanthropists and
business leaders Marilyn and Dr.
Glen Nelson; and Rayovac, a
long-time supporter of Starkey
Hearing Foundation.
Additional celebrity guests who
attended this year’s Gala included
performers JC Chasez and Sam Moore;
actors Lou Ferrigno, Verne Troyer,
Sean Pyfrom, and Robert Culp; TV
personalities Alan Kalter and Paige
Hemmis; astronaut Buzz Aldrin; golf
legend Arnold Palmer; Southern
Methodist University head football
coach June Jones; songwriter Paul
Williams; Minnesota Governor Tim
Pawlenty; Minnesota Vikings head
coach Brad Childress; Minnesota
Vikings trainer Eric Sugarman;
University of Minnesota head
basketball coach Tubby Smith; and
many others.
About Starkey Hearing Foundation (SHF)
Starkey Hearing Foundation is the
global leader in the gift of hearing
by delivering hearing instruments
via hearing missions in 86
countries. Founded by William F.
Austin in 1984 with the vision So
the World May Hear, countless
numbers of lives are touched by
better hearing through Starkey
Hearing Foundation missions. With
the goal to heighten social
consciousness on the importance of
hearing, Starkey Hearing Foundation
launched a hearing conservation
program, Sound Matters, to
educate the public about responsible
listening. Today the Foundation is
sustained by the selfless efforts of
volunteers and donors spanning the
globe. Since 2000, the Foundation
has distributed nearly 340,000
hearing instruments to those in need
around the world. Become a Starkey
Hearing Foundation fan by visiting
Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com,
follow Starkey Hearing Foundation on
Twitter at
http://twitter.com/starkeyhearing,
or visit us at
http://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.