Tate
Walk4Hearing Featured Walker

Three Years of Tate’s Troop and the Walk4Hearing
By Tate Lewis-Holcombe

My name is Tate. I'm the team captain for Tate's Troop for the Hartford Walk4Hearing. I am 13 years old.

This walk is important to me because I feel that every person with a hearing loss should have the information and support that they need. Money raised from the walk helps make this happen.

I got hearing aids when I was 3 1/2 years old when it was discovered that I had a bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Some things are harder for me than for other kids. I have to read lips to understand people, and when it's noisy, it's hard to hear my friends. I wear an FM system in school which allows me to hear my teacher better. I also use C-print services for captioning in my classes.

I have participated in the Hartford Walk4Hearing for the past three years. Tate’s Troop has raised over $9,800. At first, only my family walked with us but then more of my friends joined.

Last year, my middle school got involved for a community service project. My team had over 65 walkers! I also presented a video to my classmates about my hearing loss and the ways in which the walk helps kids like me.

The money my team raised the first year went to help Connecticut Children's Medical Center for children with hearing loss. Over the last two years, the money we raised went to Hear Here Hartford. This is an organization for kids with hearing loss in the Hartford area over the age of 12 where they learn advocacy and leadership skills.

Being a part of the Walk4Hearing, I have made so many new friends and had lots of fun. I even became the youngest member of the Board of Directors for Hear Here Hartford. I can’t wait for the 2015 walk!