September 4, 2025 | Ear Community

Ear Community’s first 5k run/walk organized by Alida Proehl in Tremont, IL. (July 19, 2025)

On Saturday, July 19th, 2025, Alida Proehl organized the very first 5K run/walk in Tremont, Illinois for our Ear Community Organization called “Hear Me Run!” This was a very special day for Alida because she wanted to help give back to the community and raise awareness about a rare cause that is near and dear to her heart – microtia (missing ears) and aural atresia (absent ear canals resulting in hearing loss)!

Alida was born with Microtia and Atresia, which involves hearing loss. Alida recently made the decision to have a hearing device implanted that would help her hear better, but her insurance provider denied coverage for a bone conduction hearing implant system, called the Osia System, made by Cochlear Americas. The Osia and other implantable hearing device systems cost nearly $50,000 or more including the surgery for this device. Originally, her insurance provider approved her claim, but then later denied her claim, stating that the Osia was not medically necessary, even though this hearing device was approved by and recommended by her ENT. For Alida, this hearing device is absolutely medically necessary because it would help her hear better since she only has hearing in one ear. When Alida was denied the opportunity to hear by her insurance, she quickly realized how much these hearing device implants mean to someone when they have hearing loss. Alida knew right then that she wanted to raise funds so she could help another child or adult hear if their insurer denied them access to a hearing device or if they could not afford to pay out of pocket for their hearing device.

Once Alida knew she wanted to help give back, she reached out to our Ear Community Organization as a member of our community. She knew exactly what she wanted to do and began planning for and organizing the 5K run/walk in her hometown. From gathering sponsors, to creating her own fliers and t-shirt designs, to speaking on local podcasts to asking the City of Tremont for help – Alida had a plan! Did I mention that Alida is only 20 years old! For months, Alida wondered how many people would show up, worried it would only be a handful of people who would turn out as the race date neared. Finally, on Saturday, July 19th, it was Alida’s big day to bring the community together and she was ready! Alida and help began setting up for the race around 5:30 AM that morning! Alida’s amazing family and friends helped set up the entire course while she focused on some last-minute details. To Alida’s surprise – 161 walkers/runners signed registered for the race! Of course it rained, but for most of the race it was perfect weather! About 89 people ran the race. The runners had chips on their running bibs, so Alida could see how many actually came to the race. She had volunteers of all ages offer to help, which was so inspiring to see! Alida’s Great Aunt, who is 80 years old, helped pass out water to runners at the one-mile mark! The Tremont Police Department donated their time and services to provide officers to guide runners at intersections! Tremont Rescue had two responders (Megan Harley, Paul Molden & Chief Trent Steiner) volunteer standby for runners during the race, stationed at both the start and finish lines! And, Tremont Area Park District (Bryan Cheek, Director) donated the park pavilion during the race where participants could be sheltered from the rain and where the awards ceremony took place.

One of the highlights of Alida’s day was having two other individuals with microtia and atresia at the race! One of them traveled all the way from Florida to be there! The other Alida had just met a couple of weeks earlier at a restaurant. It meant the world to share this experience with them! Not only was this day so special for Alida and her family and for all of the runners and walkers who participated, including so many from her home town who stepped up to help and donate their time and services, but Alida raised nearly $15,000.00 with her event thanks to registered walkers and runners and other donors, including the runners and walkers who shared about this event asking others to help donate to our cause. Incredible!!!! Alida even had awards made and certificates, including making sure that first place received a special bracelet that was donated thanks to Brad and Kathy of Udry Jewelers! Alida says that she felt truly blessed to have so much support and that this is something she would like to do again!

A special thank you to Alida – Thank you for wanting to raise awareness about our rare cause – microtia and atresia, and thank you for wanting to help give back to the community through Ear Community! All of your hard work, drive and passion was absolutely incredible from start to finish! You are such an incredible person with such a big heart wanting to make a difference and to help raise funds so no other child or adult has to do without a hearing device. Thank you for everything and for your family who supported you the entire way! Thank you for raising funds for our Ear Community Organization so we can continue to help even more children and adults who were born with microtia and atresia!

A special thank you to to the following who helped make Alida’s work and this event so special and something to be proud of and remember for ever!
Thank you to Alida’s entire family and friends! Especially her mom and dad, Dr. Rebecca Proehl and Dr. Trent Proehl.
The Sponsors who donated to Alida, supporting her and the Ear Community Organization! Funds helped go toward paying for banners, fliers, shirts and other associated fees that helped make this event possible!
Sponsors:
Peoria Ear Nose & Throat Group, Facial Plastic & Laser Surgery Center, LLC.
Wayne Litwiller Excavating
Tremont First National Bank
Sam Leman Morton Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM & Fiat
Sam Lemon BMW of Peoria
Beccham’s Market, Inc.
Louisa Jane, Inc.
Kouris Pub
Lighthouse Buick
Debra & Brad Barnard
Kevin & Valinda Ulrich
Jason & Amanda Proehl
Patricia & Rick Vance
Robert & Beverly Herrin
Michael Lynn
Jeff Paternoster with ShaZam Racing through Race Roster for helping make Alida’s 5k easy to manage and a complete and total success all around!

Alida, thank you for hosting and managing this unforgettable 5k run/walk for our Ear Community Organization! Your “Hear Me Run” event will always be special to me and to our organization as our very first run/walk event ever! This is something that I could have never managed to put together and or had the time to organize, but YOU did and you did an exceptional job! You are special to Ear Community, to the microtia and atresia community and to me, Alida! Thank you for working so hard on all of this! You are nothing short of amazing, Alida! You are truly an inspirational person and I just know you are going to do incredible things in life! I, along with Ear Community are grateful for you, Alida! Thank you for giving back to the community and for supporting our cause. This was a wonderful way for you to shine a light on our rare cause by making it such a beautiful day for so many!
Thank you, Alida!

Melissa Tumblin
Founder – Executive Director
EarCommunity.org

The Ear Community Organization has watched our community members, children and adults, continually be denied coverage by their insurance providers for bone anchored hearing devices. It saddens our community when the opportunity to hear is taken away and not supported as something that should be provided when we pay into our insurance premiums. This is why Ear Community has Federal Legislation in place known as Ally’s Act, H.R. 4606, that would close the loophole when insurers deny bone anchored hearing devices and cochlear implants. Ally’s Act would provide fair and consistent coverage for children and adults from birth to age 64, preventing another individual, like Alida, from being denied the opportunity to hear. We are asking everyone in every state to please email, call and write to your Congressman at their Washington DC office, asking them to co-sponsor Ally’s Act, H.R. 4606. Please visit the Ear Community website for template letters and details on how to advocate for this piece of legislation. We want Ally’s Act to pass because no one should ever have to fight to hear!
Link to Ally’s Act page: https://earcommunity.org/about/allys-act-h-r-5485/

Please print and mail the following 1-pager, list of endorsers and fact sheet when you ask your Congressman to cosponsor Ally’s Act, H.R. 4606:
Ally’s Act 1-pager
Ally’s Act list of endorsers
Ally’s Act fact sheet