Building Sound Foundations'

Oticon, Inc. Joins with Hearing Care Professionals from Across the Country
to Build a Habitat for Humanity Home during 2008 AudiologyNow! Convention

Somerset, NJ January 3 Oticon, Inc. today announced plans to donate a Habitat for Humanity home for a low-income family in Charlotte, North Carolina that will be dedicated in celebration of the American Academy of Audiologys 20th Anniversary. Oticon will raise the walls on the single-family dwelling during the 20th annual AudiologyNow! Convention in April. Construction for the new home will involve a team of volunteers made up of hearing care professionals and Oticon, Inc. employees from across the country.

We chose a humanitarian effort that would reflect our commitment to People First and allow us to partner with hearing care professionals, as we do everyday, in making an important difference for individuals and families, stated Peer Lauritsen, Oticon, Inc. president. Habitat for Humanity was a perfect fit because the organization plays such an important role in improving the quality of life for many people in need, just as hearing care professionals enrich the lives of people with hearing loss by providing expert care and hearing solutions.

Preliminary blueprints for the Habitat project are now underway. Key to the success of the effort will be securing volunteers from among the thousands of hearing care professionals who will travel to Charlotte for the AudiologyNow! Convention.

The Habitat house construction is a wonderful way to raise the profile of hearing care professionals and demonstrate the hearing care communitys commitment to making a positive difference for individuals and families, added Lauritsen. We encourage hearing care professionals to join with us in building this very special Habitat home. We welcome volunteers who can spare as little as half an hour to support this important cause.

Habitat for Humanity and professional construction managers will work with hearing care professionals and Oticon employees to build the house. Volunteers can sign on to join the Oticon Habitat for Humanity team by logging onto www.oticonusa.com and clicking on Special Programs in the Professionals section.

Recognizing that not everyone who wishes to support the Habitat project will be able to participate in the construction, Oticon, Inc. will also provide a donation to Habitat for Humanity for each Oticon hearing device purchased from February 1 through April 5.

Volunteers will begin working on the Habitat for Humanity home sponsored by Oticon, Inc. on Wednesday, April 2 with a celebratory wall raising scheduled for Friday, April 4.