Operation Hearing Dog Raises Money for Suffield Resident

Amy Reay had her life change a decade ago, but she hasn't faced her personal challenges alone. With the support of Operation Hearing Dog, she is getting closer to having the aid of a four-legged friend.

Reay was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type II, a disorder characterized by noncancerous tumors in the brain, in 1999. By 2002, she had completely lost her hearing.

During the fall of 2010, Reay underwent complicated procedures that required several months of recuperation. During that time friends noticed a problem.

“While recuperating, friends came in to help with daily chores I wasn't allowed to do, and it bothered them that they were able to enter my home without me being aware,” Reay said. “Once I was sleeping while a friend vacuumed my entire house, even the floor right next to me, and I never knew he had been there.”

The problem continued without a clear solution until the situation progressed to the next level.

“I had just returned from a doctor's appointment, laid my purse on the counter and went into the bathroom to shower. Ten minutes later, I came out and the pain medication by my purse was gone,” Reay. “Suffield Police Officer Pete Osowiecki, who handles our town's canine unit, came to discuss what had happened and immediately said 'You need a dog.'”

Following the advice from Osowiecki, Reay turned to National Education on Assistance Dogs (NEADS), a non-profit organization that specializes in hearing dogs based in Princeton, MA.

Reay began the process only to find out that placing and training a hearing dog carries a cost of $20,000. She would be responsible for $9,500 of the total.

Faced with the costs of getting a hearing dog, Reay turned to Facebook to look for solutions, posing questions to her friends about how to raise the money.

“The next morning, my lifelong friend and childhood neighbor, Cindy Kaplan posted 'Operation Hearing Dog meeting this Friday Night, my house! Who is in? Let's get this girl a dog' and thus, Operation Hearing Dog was born,” Reay said.

The efforts of the group have taken since that first meeting. Since the beginning of Operation Hearing Dog, nicknamed OHD, the group has held several fundraising events and are working on more.

Reay and OHD have been working to raise the money. She said the efforts are growing.

“The enthusiasm was almost electric,” Reay said about the nearly 100 comments on her Facebook account from friends across the country.

The group has plans for the fundraising in the future and is reaching out to other organizations and individuals in the area.

"On April 16, Kira Colson of Suffield celebrated her fifth birthday by inviting friends and family to her party, but asked that guests donate to Operation Hearing Dog in lieu of gifts," Reay said. "This is an exceptionally huge gesture for a little girl, because Kira has overcome some huge medical issues and had several scares in this past year."

Reay said the party raised about $300.

"Being able to celebrate another birthday is amazing enough, but to give so selflessly to others shows you what kind of people Kira and her devoted mom, Kirsten Colson, are," Reay said.

OHD will be giving a presentation on Tuesday to the Suffield Rotary Club, and Reay met with the Giraffe Club at Suffield Middle School last week. That group is currently doing its own fundraising for the OHD.

“Our committee and supporters will be marching in the Suffield Memorial Day parade in honor of our veterans, and to highlight the link with NEADS, who raises service dogs for veterans who suffer injuries or PTSD and benefit from the help a service dog provides,” Reay said.

Currently, Operation Hearing Dog and Amy Reay have been able to raise $2650 towards the $9,500 needed for her to get the dog.