Hamilton Relay Acknowledges Dedicated Individuals Through Annual Award and Scholarship Programs

AURORA, Neb., March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hamilton Relay, a leading Telecommunications Relay and Captioned Telephone services provider, provides many awards and scholarship opportunities throughout the year to honor individuals who make a difference in their communities.

For three consecutive years, Hamilton has recognized individuals who are hard of hearing, late-deafened or have difficulty speaking and who have been a strong influence within their state. Nominations for the Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition Awards are due March 12. Awards will be presented throughout the month of May - concurrent with National Better Hearing and Speech Month.

"It was an honor to be nominated and presented with the Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition award last year at the Chattanooga Walk4Hearing event," said Shari Koeper, the 2011 Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition Award recipient from Tennessee. "Being recognized for my community involvement at an event that was attended by so many people was certainly a thrill. I will always cherish the privilege of being honored with this award."

In addition to the Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition Award, Hamilton Relay recognizes outstanding students and individuals among the communities it serves through the following programs:

• Hamilton Relay $500 High School Scholarship, established in 2010: This scholarship supports graduating high school students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or have difficulty speaking in their post-secondary education. Applications are due March 30, 2012.
• Deaf Community Leader Award, established in 2005: Concurrent with National Deaf Awareness Week occurring in September, this award recognizes individuals who are deaf or deaf-blind for the commitment they have made to enhancing the lives of those around them. Watch for additional information this summer.
• Hamilton Relay $1000 College Scholarship, established in 2011: An undergraduate student who is deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind or has difficulty speaking is eligible for the $1,000 scholarship at each of the following schools: Gallaudet, California State University Northridge and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Watch for additional information this summer.

The Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition Award and the Deaf Community Leader Award are presented each year during national celebrations – a time when people gather to celebrate their culture, learn about resources available to them, and raise awareness about the varying aspects of hearing loss and communication disorders.

"We enjoy learning about the individual leaders and talented students who are involved in our programs," says Dixie Ziegler, vice president of Hamilton Relay. "Every year, more and more nominations and applications pour in - the amount of support and community involvement is tremendous."

Information on how to nominate someone for this year's Better Hearing and Speech Month Recognition Award and how to apply for the Hamilton Relay scholarship opportunities can be found at www.HamiltonRelay.com.

About Hamilton Relay

Hamilton Relay offers a variety of services including Traditional Relay Services, Captioned Telephone and Internet Relay services. Hamilton provides Traditional Relay and/or Captioned Telephone services to 17 states, the Island of Saipan and the Virgin Islands. More information is available at www.hamiltonrelay.com.

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SOURCE Hamilton Relay