I attribute some of the most valuable life lessons I’ve learned to Miss Ellison, my speech therapist, and The Speech & Hearing Center. I was introduced to the organization when, in the first grade, I discovered I had a stutter. My first-grade teacher asked me to introduce myself to the class and, when I couldn’t do it, she said, “You go stand out in the hall until you learn how to talk right.”

At that time, I was so frustrated because I couldn’t put one word in front of the other to form a sentence. Eventually, you get to a point where you don’t want to talk at all. But Miss Ellison was exactly the influence I needed. In addition to taking me through speech drills, she was my biggest advocate and confidant. She encouraged me not to hide my voice, even if it didn’t sound like everyone else’s. She showed me how to calm my frustrations, slow things down, and meet the struggle head-on
That was in 1958. When I look back at my life, I’ve faced medical issues. I’ve become a business owner. I’ve experienced all the other setbacks life can throw your way. Each time though, I remember what Miss Ellison taught me. Slow down. Be patient. Keep moving forward. It will all be okay. My life would have looked a lot different over the last 60 years if those words weren’t ingrained in me.

That is why I support the center, because of what they did for me as a child and how it impacted my life moving forward. They are great stewards of my contributions, and I am confident that my donations are going to help a lot of children and adults who, every day, face the same things I struggled with. Now that The Speech & Hearing Center has merged with Signal Centers, I’m excited to see how the services they provide blossom. I know they are going to help more people than ever before and I’m just happy I can do my part to contribute to that work.

Bill Smith

Owner, Foundry Pattern Services

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE SIGNAL CENTER COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WINTER 2024 NEWSLETTER