Donation Gives Hearts for Hearing a Permanent Home

10/19/2006
by Sjonna Paulson, The Oklahoman

Bull dozers along with junior “Bob the Builders” ready the dirt

For the last three years, the mission of Hearts for Hearing has been to maximize the spoken language abilities of Oklahoma children who are deaf or hard of hearing by providing resource assistance. Now, through the generous donation of 10,000 square feet in an office park being built by David Le Norman on Memorial Road between MacArthur and Meridian, Hearts for Hearing is the recipient of a permanent home.

“This is an amazing gift that comes at a time when Hearts for Hearing is in the process of expanding to better serve Oklahoma’s children who are deaf or hard of hearing,” said Dr. Teresa H. Caraway, executive co-director of Hearts for Hearing. “David’s donation of space in the ground-breaking stages means that our new home can be customized to meet the future needs of those we help.”

David Le Norman, CEO of Crusader Energy Group, donated the space to Hearts for Hearing in the first building to be completed at the Le Norman Office Park at Gaillardia which will also serve as the new headquarters for his company. Three buildings, totaling 54,000 square feet, are planned for the office park. His gift was inspired when he discovered how Hearts for Hearing helped Jentry, a friend’s daughter who was born deaf.

“Jentry doesn’t let anything slow her down. Learning how to listen with the use of a cochlear implant and hearing aid and how to talk were challenges that she met head on,” said Le Norman. “As a bright high school student with college plans, Jentry’s success shows the importance of identifying hearing loss in infants as soon as possible, fitting them with the right amplification devices and providing therapy so they reach development milestones and have the best chance to listen and speak on par with their hearing peers. Each year in Oklahoma, 150 children are born deaf or hard of hearing. Hearts for Hearing has nationally-renowned staff who help these children meet their full potential; there’s no other resource like them in the region.”

The building that will house Crusader Energy Group and the Hearts for Hearing is scheduled to be completed first, in late 2007. The other two buildings are part of the second phase for the Le Norman Office Park at Gaillardia, being designed by Bryan Durbin, project designer for C.H. Guernsey and Company.

“The building styles will reflect the French chateau influence seen throughout Gaillardia, from the brick and cast stone exterior to the slate roof and the Venetian plaster wall finishes to the marble and granite floor,” said Durbin. “It’s rewarding to design for a client who has such vision. Not only has he stayed true to his original plan for how the business park will be developed and the quality of the buildings, his vision extends to helping Oklahoma children in a significant, lasting way.”