The holidays are upon us and year’s end fast approaches. With the cold and inclement weather outside let us review some of the bright spots resulting from your Scottish Rite Speech & Language Charity.
Both University of Oregon and Portland State University Speech and Language programs have continued and thrived during the Covid pandemic. Over the past years the Scottish Rite Speech & Language Charity has provided funds for screenings, evaluations and speech therapy to young children throughout Oregon.
Our support has included funding for Tele-Practice development which has enabled both Universities to transition from in-person therapy to 100% remote service, and expanded the geographical range state wide of that service. Children on the coast, central, southern and eastern Oregon now receive speech therapy one to two times a week.
The Scottish Rite of Free Masonry Speech & Language Charity funding is helping to support the training of 84 Master’s students at PSU and 72 at the U of O. These Speech Language Pathologist’s (SLP’s) in-training know that Scottish Rite of Oregon is assisting in their development and will carry that knowledge into the field when they have completed the program. While a few will leave Oregon, the vast majority remain in state providing service to Oregon children.
The two universities are conducting free therapy one to two times a week for over 120 children between 2 and 17 years old.
Your Speech & Language Board is looking ahead to encouraging both Universities to expand therapy, screening and evaluation services for children even further state-wide. Your individual and Valley support of this Scottish Rite charity is needed now more then ever. Please consider us in your Valley budgets and individual tax and estate planning.
In Brotherhood,
Bill Anton 33°
Chairman Orient Charities