Auburn University's Delta Zeta chapter will holt "Delta Zeta Dance-A-Thon," a fundraiser benefiting the Starkey Hearing Foundation at SkyBar Cafe. The event will take place Thursday, Feb. 20, from 8 p.m. until midnight, and costs $5 per person.
Participants will take part in a 1920s-themed swing dance competition, judged by Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates and Tiger Eyes dancer Anslee Palmer. The last couple standing will win two Visa gift cards worth $100 each.
Taylor Burton, sophomore in pre-business, is a member of Delta Zeta.
"We will be raising money for such a great cause," Burton said. "Being a part of this really makes me think about how much we take hearing for granted. Hearing is just a part of life we don't usually think about a lot."
According to World Health Organization, at least 360 million people worldwide suffer from significant hearing loss.
Bethanee Smith, sophomore in industrial and systems engineering and member of Delta Zeta, said she had a personal connection to the issue.
"I didn't really know anyone who was affected by hearing loss until recently," Smith said. "My grandfather just got a hearing aid, so I guess it is starting to affect my family a little bit. It makes me think of how different my life would be if I weren't able to hear. It gives you a really different perspective if you sit down and really try to think about it."
William F. Austin founded the Starkey Hearing Foundation in 1984. The purpose of the organization is to provide hearing aids to children and adults from around the world.
Starkey Hearing Foundation's mission statement is simple: "So the world may hear."
Taylor Joseph is director of communications and marketing at Starkey Hearing Foundation.
"There are millions of people that might grow up their whole lives thinking they are deaf, but they are not deaf they just have a hearing loss that can be helped with hearing aids," Joseph said.
Since the organization was founded 30 years ago, Starkey Hearing Foundation has helped more than 1,000,000 people from across the globe.
"What we really do is use hearing as a vehicle to care for others, and empower them to reach their full potential in life," Joseph said. "We do this because it is our passion. Helen Keller once said 'seeing connects you to things, and hearing connects you to people.' We try to reach as many people as possible, and connect them to their families and connect them to life.'"
According to Joseph, programs like Delta Zeta help the foundation reach its goals.
"Delta Zeta helps out with our hearing missions from around the country," Joseph said. "One of the great things they do is distribute Build-A-Bears that have hearing aids to children. They also have amazing fundraisers, like the one that is being held at Auburn. They are an amazing partner, and they help us change lives around the world."
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