Beltone Resident Turns 107 and Receives New Hearing Aids in Hattiesburg, MS

Hattiesburg — Beltone Hearing Care Center in Hattiesburg is planning to surprise one of their special patients, Mrs. Louise Bland, with an early birthday present. On Tuesday, March 10 at 10:30 AM, Mrs. Bland will receive a new pair of Beltone hearing aids in Hattiesburg, MS in celebration of her upcoming 107th birthday! They would like to invite local media outlets to cover the presentation of her new hearing aids. Beltone is working with Mrs. Bland’s family to coordinate the event. There will be opportunities for live filming, photos and interviews with Mrs. Bland. The presentation will take place at the Beltone office: 105 N 40th Ave, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 (directly across the street from the WHPM FOX23 TV Studios).

More About Mrs. Louise Bland:

Louise Bland was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1913. She is a member of Antioch Baptist Church on John Street where she has worshiped for as long as she could remember. Bland's daughter said her mother has always been a very active member of Antioch. Church members say Bland is a pillar of the congregation. She has four children.

“Recently, I sat down with Mrs. Bland at her home and asked to reflect on her 107 years in Hattiesburg,” said Ron Hancock, with Beltone. “I asked her what Hattiesburg was like in the 1920s, what kind of music she liked to listen to and what kind of advice she would give a young person today who might have been 100 years later?” Mrs. Bland has fond memories of loving the music of her church growing up. She has probably been an active singer in the choir for over 75 years! It goes without saying that her favorite genre of music to this day would be church or gospel music. When asked what advice she would give a seven-year-old today, she said that she would give them spiritual advice and perhaps share the meaning of her favorite bible verse, Psalms 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want . . .”.

Mrs. Dorothy said, "I wanted to ask Mrs. Louise if she ever shopped on Mobile Street back in its hay day when there were many thriving, black-owned businesses. You know I live in that neighborhood myself and have always wondered what it was like. Maybe she could share some stories about what Hattiesburg was like then. I know it was not all good times, but I think it's still important to share stories."

More About the Beltone Foundation Initiative

As Beltone prepares to celebrate its 80th year helping the world hear better, they're committed to giving back to their individual communities by providing testing, fitting and aftercare at no-cost for a select number of patients in need. “Being a Hearing Aid Specialist is an extremely rewarding profession. We are usually able to help the majority of the patients we see every day. It’s heartbreaking, both for us and our potential patients, when we are not able to give them the help they need. In these rare cases, the obstacle is usually a financial limitation. That is why we are excited about our collaboration with The Beltone Foundation!” said Ron Hancock, Beltone Hearing Aid Specialist and Vice President of Southern Hearing Associates, Inc. He went on to say, “Our being able to help a hearing-impaired individual better hear the sound and understand speech has a huge impact on their life. From understanding the Sunday sermon to being able to communicate at work to having meaningful conversations with family - it’s a big deal!"

The Beltone Hearing Care Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, donates hearing instruments to those in need of hearing help in Hattiesburg, MS who may otherwise be unable to access it. Both individuals and organizations are eligible to receive assistance from the Foundation through direct nominations by Beltone staff or network members. Beltone offers a wide range of products and services designed to help their patients hear their world better. For more information, contact Beltone Hattiesburg at https://beltonehancock.com/ or (601) 264-2692.