The research side of the Children's Center at the Institute is growing, making the Western Lions Ear Foundation Endowment more important than ever to our studies in children's hearing. This past year we had to create a new space on the second floor to handle the expanding staff and projects for the Center. The new space includes two additional sound booths for testing subjects so that our research efforts do not interfere with the clinical test needed for our young patient population.

Our children's research program now includes projects that range from understanding the basics of how hearing and language develop in infancy and early childhood, to creating hearing tests specifically targeted for a child's comprehension and abilities.

Western Lions Ear Foundation Endowment is important to our scientists, but is even more important to the thousands of children who visit our Children's Center every year and the millions of others whose lives are changed by the work we do. The Lions have offered them more than hope - you have provided the means to realize that hope. Thank you.

Western Lions group poses for picture while visiting House Ear Institite in March 2001