By Cheri Perazzoli

I love my HLAA-WA community.

It was so wonderful to see old friends and make new ones this year as our picnic returned after a hiatus during the pandemic. I was so happy to connect with my hearing loss pals, sharing and catching up, talking about our struggles with masking and social distancing. Our longtime members can provide words of wisdom with people who are newer to hearing loss, and newer people can find a place where they belong.

Thank you to everyone who braved the I-405 madness to join us.

Special thanks to the board members who helped make it happen: picnic organizer Glenda Philio, chef Rick Faunt, and Sandra Bunning, who welcomed everyone and donated handmade items for the raffle. Also, our warm thanks to Spencer Norby for installing a hearing loop, and to everyone who came early, stayed late, and helped in the spirit of teamwork.

We’ve said it many times: HLAA-WA is about building community. That’s why we have events like these where people can relax and spend time with people who understand how to live well with hearing loss. To further your journey, we encourage you to join us at an online HOPE monthly support meeting and share your experiences, ask questions, and offer suggestions to others.