Mark Hatfield: “I am pleased to share with the Senate information about a very special facility in Oregon that I believe serves as a…”

“I am pleased to share with the Senate information about a very special facility in Oregon that I believe serves as a model for the nation. Meadowwood Springs Speech and Hearing Camp was established in 1964 through the initiative of four University of Oregon students. These students saw the need for a speech and hearing development camp in the Pacific Northwest. They selected a secluded site in the Blue Mountains of Northeastern Oregon and established a camp for some of the most special children in our society--those with speech and hearing difficulties. Only 15 children attended the camp's first session over 30 years ago. Today, the camp boasts over 100 student participants annually. There are now over 40 buildings on 143 acres in this beautiful forest setting. The buildings include cabins, an infirmary, a dinning hall, a store, a multipurpose building, and a swimming pool. Children come to Meadowwood in order to improve their speech and hearing skills. The caring and loving environment at Meadowwood allows these children to develop skills at a significantly accelerated rate. In some cases, a child at Meadowwood may learn as much in a 2-week period as they may have learned in a span of 6 months in a traditional school setting. The staff members at Meadowwood are a group of highly motivated and caring individuals. Many have specialized educational backgrounds in speech pathology and or audiology from acclaimed schools throughout the country.”