We thought it was a win! Our very first Tailgate Fundraiser where the UT Vols pulled through and won the game. We were all very excited!

But then the flag came and the color drained from our faces. UT had in fact not won the game because of a technicality.

Despite a disappointing ending to the UT/LSU game Saturday, Oct. 2, fans of the Hearing and Speech Foundation still rallied in the East Club Skybox of Neyland Stadium and showed their support for providing the Gift of Sound to the people of East Tennessee.

Special guest Larry Seivers and his wife Sally joined the crowd in front of the TV wall to cheer on the Vols and mingled with guests during halftime. Seivers, former UT wide-receiver and All-American, said he enjoyed the event and looks forward to bringing his parents next year.

The halftime show kicked off with Beth Humpert, documentary filmmaker and HSF patient, who shared her story of how the Foundation touched her life with the Gift of Sound. Beth also helped us kickoff our hearing aid donation drive by recycling her hearing aid.

Next up was John Berry, HSF-co-founder, who introduced the crowd to a profoundly deaf woman he worked with for years to improve her speech. Her story of success with the Verbotonal Method shocked listeners and reinforced our mission of empowering individuals with communication deficits to live their lives to the fullest.

In addition to the lavish buffet and endless beer, provided by Woodruff Brewing Company, attendees had the opportunity to bid on silent auction items such as a set of Thompson Boling Arena barstools signed by Pat Summit and Bruce Pearl and an Aspen Adventures Get-Away.

Numerous other packages helped bring funds for our hearing aid assistance program, which currently supports hearing services for over 650 individuals in East Tennessee.

We are very grateful for all the support of our biggest fundraiser of the year and are looking at the UT/Florida game for next year’s Tailgate Fundraiser in the East Club Skybox.

To stay in touch with the Foundation and other upcoming events, please sign up for our monthly e-newsletter, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @giftofsound.

Special thanks to all our sponsors who helped underwrite the event: Downtown Grill and Brewery, Blount Hearing and Speech Services, Widex Corporation, Phonak Hearing, Roma Renfro, Carol Luckey, The Flower Pot, Pilot Travel Centers LLC, Creekside Fine Wines and Spirits, Kathy Bennett, Hickory Construction, East Tennessee Medical Group, Ingram Overholt & Bean, Knoxville Animal Clinic and Staffing Solutions.

Also thanks to our media partners Blount Today, Charter Media and WBIR Channel 10.