ENT & Allergy Associates provides an initial donation to kickstart fundraising efforts by local Girl Scouts for critical fire safety tools for hard-of-hearing students

Wausau Firefighters’ Community Assistance Foundation to Match Initial Donation; More Funds Needed for Bed Shaker Alarms

ENT & Allergy Associates, the premier ear, nose, throat (ENT), allergy, immunology, asthma and audiology service provider in North Central Wisconsin, is urging the community to join in its donation to a local Girl Scouts initiative that positively impacts fire safety for Wausau area hard-of-hearing students by providing advanced alarm systems. 

ENT & Allergy Associates made an initial donation of $2,000 to the Girl Scout Silver Award project of Elise (age 15) and Aeryn (age 14) Wetzsteon. Both Aeryn and her younger sister, Paige, are impacted by hearing loss. Elise and Aeryn began with research and education on the SafeAwake Bed Shaker alarm, a device installed in the homes of hard-of-hearing individuals to help alert them to fire alarms while sleeping, as they often do not use hearing assist devices while sleeping and would not be able to hear the alarm. Now that a need in the community has been identified and the logistics of device implementation have been researched, the next step is to secure funding to provide Bed Shaker alarms to 26 students who have been identified as hard-of-hearing in the Wausau Area School District. 

“We are thrilled to support the girls’ initiative. Hearing loss can impact individuals of any age or background. As audiologists at ENT & Allergy Associates, we strive to support these individuals in understanding their hearing conditions and hearing needs. By doing so, we can provide the technology and resources they need to live a full and safe life,” said Dr. Emily Lohr, audiologist at ENT & Allergy Associates. “Bed Shaker alarms are an important tool for individuals who are hard of hearing for safety reasons. By making a leading donation and inviting the community to match our commitment, we hope not only to support the Wetzsteon family in reaching their goal but also to create and continue meaningful conversations and raise awareness about living with hearing loss. We applaud the Wetzsteon family for initiating this impactful project for students in our community.”  

Impressed by both the girls’ initiative and the abilities of the Bed Shaker alarms, the Wausau Firefighters’ Community Assistance Foundation has generously matched ENT & Allergy Associates’ gift of $2,000, putting the girls well on their way to reaching their goal.

“The Wausau Fire Department is dedicated to keeping everyone in our community safe. Our mission is to provide rapid, professional emergency services that protect and enhance our community, and the Bed Shaker initiative supports that goal perfectly. After hearing Elise and Aeryn’s presentation, we recognized how Bed Shaker alarms can make a real difference for community members who are hard of hearing. We’re proud to support their efforts to raise awareness about life-saving fire safety tools,” said Chief Jeremy Kopp of the Wausau Fire Department. “We’re also grateful to the Wausau Firefighters’ Community Assistance Foundation for matching $2,000 in donations to encourage even more support for this important program.”

The Wetzsteons are raising funds from Nov. 1-Dec. 1 in hopes of providing each impacted student a SafeAwake Bed Shaker alarm at the annual holiday party. With donations from ENT & Allergy Associates and the Wausau Firefighters’ Community Assistance Foundation, they are nearly halfway there. Community members or organizations wishing to contribute to the initiative or learn more about it can do so in the following ways:

  • Cash donations will be accepted at the following locations:
    • Horace Mann Middle School, ATTN Kearsten Connor, 3101 N. 13th Street, Wausau, 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
    • Wausau Fire Department Central Location, ATTN Bed Shaker Alarm Project, 606 East Thomas Street, Wausau, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • Checks can also be dropped off at the above locations and written out to Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, ATTN: Bed Shaker Alarms
  • Online giving is available at the official GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/ff27c81bd