Golden Ears Shriners donated more than $2,700 to help buy equipment for the hospital's audiology clinic.

Ridge Meadows Hospital was able to put the donation towards the purchase of a Verifit for the audiology department.

The audiology clinic, located in the Maple Ridge health unit, screens 97 per cent of all infants born to families living in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows as well as from the Fraser Health region - more than 14,600 babies last year were screened.

They specialize in providing all of the hearing screening, diagnostic assessment, and equipment support for Maple Ridge children to the age of 19 who are referred. They have more than 700 active clients on their Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows caseload.

A Verifit, costing $15,200, is used with all of the children they see who are fit with hearing aids and some children who require assistive listening equipment.

The Verifit currently in use is 10 years old and is outdated.

In B.C. the Shriners provide free transportation and care from all over the province to our hospitals to all needy children from ages one to 18. They transport children to BC Children's Hospital, McDonald House, Easter Seal House, and hospitals in the United States without charge.

Shriners are men from all walks of life and all levels of income.

"On behalf of the Shriners of British Columbia and Yukon, the Golden Ears Shrine Club is very glad to be able to help out in the community by being able to make a donation to help the children cared for at Ridge Meadows Hospital," said Golden Ears Shriner Peter Adams.