A message from the office of development and alumni affairs

Lindsey Stevens

In this issue of PHHP News we celebrate the college’s donors, who gave $2.5 million to the college last year. Your support helps us to continue to make important advances in health research, educate future practitioners and scientists, and provide services in our community, state, nation and throughout the world.

I want to take this opportunity to recognize one donor group who has contributed annually for many years to the college’s department of speech, language, and hearing sciences. Since 1961, the Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida, U.S.A., a charitable organization of the Scottish Rite Masons, has focused its philanthropic efforts on the evaluation and treatment of speech and language disorders and learning disabilities in young children. The group currently supports 14 clinics in Florida, including the University of Florida. Because of the Scottish Rite Foundation’s generosity, thousands of Florida children have received treatment for communication disorders, regardless of their family’s ability to pay.

“Working to provide assistance to children is more than giving back, as the saying goes. It is a chance to speak for these children, who, in most cases, quite literally, cannot speak for themselves,” said Bob Moynihan, a trustee for the Valley of Ocala of Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida.

Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida’s members have raised millions of dollars over the years to support pediatric speech and language services. To do this, they hold a variety of fundraising events, including dinners, rummage sales, miniature golf events, fishing trips and concerts. This massive volunteer effort is conducted by a group that is committed to ensuring that every child in the state of Florida who needs speech and language treatment receives the services he or she needs.

As Bob says, “We consider the gift of speech for the children and the gift of hope for their families a personal gift from our Scottish Rite family, to those who need help and to whom it is our duty to provide assistance.”

We are grateful to Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida and to all of our donors for their generosity and confidence in our college’s work. Thank you!

Lindsey Stevens
Director, PHHP development and alumni affairs
lmstevens@phhp.ufl.edu; 352-273-6540