Spring is the absolute best in Illinois. We have been stuck inside for months, waiting for sunshine and the opportunity to shed our coats and hats. Our kids play outside more (without complaining) and the days are longer, providing more time for connection and fun. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my running journey often brings me outside in bad weather, but this week I had the incredible joy of running on a sunny spring morning on the Chicago lakefront.
I had the opportunity to attend a course called “Advanced Fundraising” through the non-profit executive scholar program at Northwestern University. In order to avoid the extra-long commute I stayed in the city and got to experience the beauty of the skyline and the lake.
Throughout this class, I learned an incredible amount about all aspects of fundraising, including recommendations on how to tell my story and how to tell Child’s Voice’s story. I am sometimes hesitant to tell my personal “origin story” because I want my interactions to be about Child’s Voice and our families, not me. However, one of the presenters said something that really resonated with me, which I am going to try to keep in mind. He said, “Your organization deserves for you to stand out.” So, here’s my origin story:
My name is Wendy Deters, I am a Speech Language Pathologist and I have almost two decades of experience working with children with hearing loss and their families. Both my mom and dad are deaf and use cochlear implants to listen and communicate. They learned to talk during a time when that was not a realistic expectation for most children with hearing loss. Their successes have inspired me to dedicate my professional career to children with hearing loss. Now, I have the incredible privilege to lead Child’s Voice, which is an organization that provides hope, opportunity, and community to families of children with hearing loss.
I encourage all of YOU to share your origin story to communicate how Child’s Voice has influenced your life. Enjoy the sunshine and stay tuned for updates on our upcoming graduation, where we celebrate our students and their achievements as they prepare to go to their mainstream schools.
