all right sounds good Kem Brel thank you
take a look at this artwork now it's
pretty impressive as it is but even more
impressive considering it was created
using chalk I know some amazing artists
are coming together to chalk it up in
downtown Houston this weekend it's all
for a truly great cause here to tell us
all about the event called vehicle Ori
Jennifer Wikus Berg Sommers interim
executive director for the Center of
hearing and speech thanks so much for
being here thanks for having us we're
just so excited to share with you all
the information about the 13th annual
vehicle Ori benefiting the Center for
hearing and speech this is so incredible
I can't believe it's been 13 years
already and when we looked at just that
video that's chalk on the street it's
hard to even understand that that wasn't
a painting I know so we have artists
from all over the world over 200 of them
from as far away as Amsterdam come and
just get creative and place the most
beautiful things that you've ever seen
masterpieces on the asphalt if only they
could preserve them forever I mean so
members of the public like we can come
in and just look and carefully you know
we're careful where we step right well
you are careful where you're set but we
also have five featured artists this
year that are going to be doing some 3d
work so it's a wonderful way to also get
interactive with the artists and the
actual artwork so you can step inside
the square and take your picture there
too
beautiful look at these images were
saying unbelievable this year's theme is
deep in the art of Texas and I love that
also talk to us you guys had special
guests coming this weekend right yes we
are really excited Krista Vince key
Houston Astros pitcher is gonna be with
us this weekend talking his owned art
square and there's an opportunity within
the VIP booth on Sunday to have like a
little meet-and-greet with him as well
didn't know he was an artist yeah you
know he was really touched by art early
on in his youth and it's a big fan of
graffiti artists we're keeping it a
secret obviously what he's gonna be
talking but as you know with the Texas
theme we are just looking forward to
seeing what he's got for us a lot of the
images that we're seeing created in
these in these photos they're huge right
but you guys have a mural that is
really huge it's what fifty feet by 24
feet 50 by 24 texas-sized mural this
year it is gonna be performed by Houston
area artist Tim Walker so we're really
excited he has been to via Cloris
several years in a row and so we're
excited to see what he has to do for us
and this is such a great time to bring a
perfect weather first of all for the
weekend but there's such a great time
for the family to come out but there's
also we need to talk about the charity
aspect of this because the Center for
hearing and speech has been doing some
really great things for youth in our
community for a long time so since 1947
the Center for hearing and speech has
been around providing services for
children identified with hearing loss we
diagnose hearing loss in infants fit
that with technology by the time there
are two or three weeks old enroll them
in weekly speech therapy and we even
have a private preschool in the back for
the children to develop their listening
and speaking skills Wow and you guys are
reaching so many young people last year
more than 8500 of them yeah so the
center has some far-reaching
capabilities we go out into the
community and provide free hearing
screening services as well as ABR
services at area hospitals and then the
location where we're at on the corner of
West Dallas and Allen Parkway over 8,500
kids were served last year that's
incredible it really is well let's talk
about the featured fun at the event the
family zone because this is really great
for everybody and wanting to bring out
the kids this is kid-friendly all the
way around yes and the weather is gonna
be fantastic so we are really excited in
our family zone we have face painting
tattoos there's also what's called a via
bambini area where your kiddos can come
and release their inner Michelangelo and
chalk themselves a square as well for a
ten dollar donation
again those benefits come back to the
Center for hearing and speech to help us
support the clinical and educational
services that we provide for our
families there's some info on your
screen right there we should point out
that they're going to be more than 20
local bands food trucks
it all starts on Saturday the 17th can
you believe tomorrow's the 17th 10:00
and then of course Sunday as well
perfect location downtown City Hall and
his Courtney mentioned perfect weather
as well and tickets you can buy them at
a discount online but just ten bucks at
the door if you don't do that interests
yes and I should mention to the money
that we spend here goes directly back
into the organization right correct so
we provide free therapy for those
families that qualify as well as
technology so there's a lot of families
out there that need some assistance
hearing aids cochlear implants can be
very expensive if there's a family out
there that think their child might have
something some hearing loss do they just
contact you yes we would love for them
to reach out to us if there are ever any
concerns they can reach out 7 1 3 5 2 3
3 6 3 3 and we provide diagnostic
testing for children birth all the way
through the age of 18 wonderful that is
fantastic and of course vehicle Ori
houston comm that is the website to
visit for more information about this
great event that is happening this
weekend Saturday and Sunday city hall
downtown Jennifer thank you so much for
stopping by keep up the good work thank
you very much