Each year, our team at Duncan Hearing Healthcare are honored to give lucky members of our community the gift of better hearing right before the holiday season.
Hear For the Holidays is my favorite time of year. I love getting the chance to see the expression change on each winner’s face as our team tells them they’re getting free hearing aids thanks to nominations from their loved ones and fellow community members.
If you aren’t aware, Hear For the Holidays is our annual drawing to grant one lucky winner at each of our locations a complimentary hearing assessment and hearing aids thanks to submissions from their family, friends, and loved ones.
And of course, we can’t forget the complimentary bag of cookies from our friends at Black Tie Cookies!
It’s our chance to give back to our communities across Massachusetts, and your chance to give someone you care about the chance to hear the holidays with better clarity and enjoyment.
We had so many incredible submissions this year, and reading them all is the best part; you go all out to help your loved ones win! We had to narrow it down to four eventually, so without further ado, here are 2025’s winners.
Fall River’s Winner Is Robert L. Alford, Sr.!
The lovely Robert was nominated by Christine Alford, who told us his story: Robert is a man who always puts others first, including his wheelchair-bound wife and his two grandsons after their mother, his daughter, passed away suddenly.
Christine noted that while Robert “will not spend the money it would take to purchase hearing aids,” he would “give his last dime to support his family.”
Robert is a well-loved man by his entire family, both those here and gone, and it was our honor to present him with new hearing aids so he could hear his loved ones during Christmas time.
For Dartmouth, Kathleen Miner Wins!
Alan nominated his dear friend Kathleen to win, who he says is the “kindest, most caring person” he knows. While Kathleen’s had hearing challenges for a long time, she’s been far too busy with her work at Sacred Heart Nursing Home, where she’s worked for almost 50 years!
“Kathleen is up at 4am and asleep by 8pm. Most days Kathleen will work through her lunch and stay late due to staffing constraints, preparing meals for the residents,” Alan said in his nomination.
“When she is not working she is busy picking up her granddaughter at school and taking care of the household. Maybe winning would force her to take care of her hearing.”
Kathleen was so shocked to win, remarking that she had never won anything before— and what better way to break that streak than with the gift of better hearing?
Mary Sullivan Wins in Falmouth!
Nominated by her Kristen, Kevin, and Jessica Sullivan, Mary’s story stood out to us, making her the clear winner for Falmouth.
Her son Kevin says that she’s an “angel” to him and his siblings, and even with hearing struggles, Mary continues to shine as “the heart of the family.”
“My mom always put others first,” he put in his nomination. “Having overcome heart surgery and continues to face life’s challenges with grace and resilience, she deserves the chance to fully experience life’s precious sounds.”
Her daughter Kristen said that after losing their father, Mary’s precious husband, “she now has to figure out the new norm without him.” She hoped that hearing care and hearing aids would help give her some peace of mind.
Jessica also commented on how Mary is looking after her granddaughter, Nora, while remaining “a hard-working woman who proudly served at the IRS and Stop-and-Shop. She’s always giving her all to others.”
Kristen had the chance to read her nomination aloud to her mom in our clinic, and let us tell you, we all got a little emotional. Mary was delighted to be our winner, and her new hearing aids help her continue to be the inspiring woman she always has been.
Last But Not Least, Centerville’s Winner Is Olivia Zschirnt!
Olivia broke a record as Centerville’s winner: she received eleven heartwarming nominations from her mother, her sisters, and fellow people in her community.
At just nineteen years old, Olivia experienced sudden and unexplained hearing loss after a sudden, traumatic episode.
Now in her early twenties, Olivia hasn’t let hearing challenges stop her from working hard; her “genuine love for serving others” is clear throughout all eleven nominations we read, including Ralph’s, who notes that she is “truly remarkable in her work.”
“Olivia is an incredibly hard worker, talented at what she does, and consistently goes out of her way for others,” said John.
With her job in a restaurant, “hearing is a must, and this would help her so greatly,” according to coworker Jenny.
Her mother, Nancy, noted that “she is a compassionate empathetic soul with a heart and love of life for all.”
Her sisters Sierra and Sophie both commented on how hearing challenges have “dimmed” some of her energetic and charismatic personality. Sophie mentioned that “she tries to not let it all get to her, but I see the toll it has taken.”
Sierra’s nomination hit home for all of us: “She works incredibly hard to keep up, often having to read lips, guess at conversations, or pretend she understood something in order to not feel like a burden. Still, she shows up. She pushes herself. She refuses to let this define her, even though it affects her deeply.”
Olivia was blown away by how many nominations she received, and she’s grateful for the chance to make her life easier with hearing aids and expert hearing care.
Serving Our Community, Year After Year
Hear For the Holidays is a life-changing event for both the winners and our team. Having the chance to grant our four deserving winners the gift of better hearing is the best part of the holiday season!
Giving back to the community that has welcomed us and trusted in our expertise for well over twenty years gives us the chance to say a huge thank you to you, our patients, for your continued care and loyalty to our team.
Congrats once more to Robert, Kathleen, Mary, and Olivia, and thank you to everyone who nominated their special ones this year. We can’t wait for next year’s competition!
