The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Rodger Hall (left) and Jim Leagjeld celebrate Joan Morris' restored hearing after Leagjeld provided her with hearing aids. photo by Jim Mitchell

Longtime Sisters resident Joan Morris had lost much of her hearing by the time her friend and pastor Rodger Hall returned to Sisters after an extended absence.

A small congregation from the previous Church of Christ had asked Rodger to re-establish the church as Christ's Church of New Beginnings. Hall became aware of Joan's plight and offered to raise money through the church to help her get the hearing aids she needed.

"In church," she said, "I was sitting there wondering what everybody was saying. The only thing I could hear was the sermon and the pastor had a microphone in his hand. He kind of came out to me."

Joan insisted that there was no point in looking into hearing aids. Her Social Security income did not allow for such "extras" and she knew that the small congregation could not afford the aids she needed. But Hall persisted and called for an appointment after seeing an advertisement by Leagjeld Hearing Aid Center for free hearing tests.

Testing revealed that Morris had lost 80 percent of her hearing. Again Joan insisted that she could not afford hearing aids and that the testing was a waste of time.

At that point Jim Leagjeld replied, "Oh, it's not a waste of time. You're not leaving here without hearing aids."

He said, "Once in a while I find somebody with a real need and no way to satisfy that need, so I will satisfy it."

And he did. As Morris said, "I have one in each ear and I can hear all around me." She added, "It's a real blessing and 'blessing' is the only word I know for it. The man absolutely blessed me beyond belief."

Joan has done her share of blessing others over the years. She has readily accepted the homeless and needy into her home. Two years ago nine children lived with her. Asked if they were foster children, her response was, "No, they were just children that needed a home and asked if they could live with me."

To her, being able to provide assistance to others is a blessing in itself. And each day her renewed hearing reminds her that she has been blessed one more time.

Leagjeld Hearing Aid Center was established by Jim Leagjeld's father in 1957. During his tenure as a hearing health care professional, Jim's father made hearing aids available to those in need at reduced or no cost.

According to Jim, "At the time he could not afford it."

Jim and his daughter, Tricia, have carried on the business and the tradition of helping others.

Leagjeld Hearing Aid Center is offering some free services on April 20-22. Call 382-3308 for information.