By Barb Ludlow
For The News-Chronicle
A lot of people may have a problem with noise pollution, as in noisy neighbors, loud music, loud machines, but not Anne Nennig of Kewaunee.
Nennig, in her 50s, has only 3 percent hearing and is classified as legally deaf. But don't think for a minute she feels sorry for herself. That is definitely not the case.
"I've been this way for 50 years and it just seems so trivial," she said.
Nennig began to lose her hearing at about age 3. But her parents didn't realize it until she was 6.
"They said something to me and I said, 'Turn around, I cant see you talk,'" said Nennig. "Then they realized something was wrong."
She was already lip reading at that point, and by the time she was 9, her hearing was where it is today.
"This is genetic. I'm the fifth generation," she said.
Nennig said her younger years weren't as difficult as one might think. She was raised in a two-room school-house and doesn't remember being treated any differently from anyone else.
"I may have taken advantage of a couple of things," she said with a grin. "As in claiming I didn't hear the assignment."
"But I could never have gone to a school for the deaf," she said. "I was too far advanced. Besides, a lot of them don't want to talk and they don't want to lip-read. They just want to use sign language."
She knows a little sign language, but prefers to lip-read.
Nennig can hear bass sounds and played the bass clarinet in high school. She also participated in solo ensembles in state competition at Madison and did quite well. She grew up in a musical atmosphere with her dad playing the harmonica by ear.
"He never could read music," she said.
Nennig wears a hearing aid that allows her to hear a voice, but if she isn't looking at someone, she doesn't know what they are saying. She uses closed captioning on television and was instrumental in getting the local stations to provide the service.
"I went to Channel 5 and said, hey, let's get some closed captioning. Eventually they did and were the first station to have it. I've been an advocate for those with a hearing loss," she said.
She also pushed for closed captioning at the movies, but didn't get anywhere. So going to movies isn't something she does.
Nennig's disability doesn't interfere with her ability to learn, nor has it stopped her from doing what she wants to do, except maybe when it comes to finding a job.
When she, her husband and three sons moved to Kewaunee in 1984 from Horicon, she was certified in histology to work as a pathology assistant. Shortly after they moved here, St. Vincent Hospital advertised an opening in pathology. When Anne applied, a nun told her they couldn't hire her because she couldn't hear the intercom.
"They couldn't do that now," she said.
When she couldn't find a job in her selected field, and following a divorce, Nennig went back to school for computer specialist training in hardware and software management. She found a job in Brown County that lasted for approximately six months, until the owner couldn't afford to keep her any longer.
"Now I think it is probably out of business," she said.
She has tried for various jobs in the computer field, but hasn't found one because so often it entails phone work for tech support.
"And a lot of people just aren't comfortable with the telephone relay system," she said.
She hasn't been able to get on disability or Social Security but is managing with a cleaning job at a local business and financial assistance from her ex-husband.
But you won't hear Nennig complain. She keeps busy with various projects at home. She does a lot of home repairs and built a deck on her house. She does drywall and has laid her own bathroom floor.
"I don't do electric," she says with a grin. "But my dad taught us girls how to do lot of things."
She also cut down a large tree in front of her house. She had someone help bring it down, but then cut it up herself with a chain saw.
She and her husband had four boys and her disability didn't cause any problems in raising them. One son died in a house fire prior to their move to Kewaunee.
Nennig is fiercely independent. She used to have people make phone calls for her, but no longer needs any help, with the relay telephone service available. She is an avid bowler and plays golf in the summer.
"There are so many people worse off than me," she said. "As long as I can bowl and drink a beer, I'm happy," she added with a hearty laugh.
"I was taught at an early age that you can do anything if you just put your mind to it," she said. "And my dad always said, if you want something done right, do it yourself." And Anne Nennig does.
A State of Wisconsin Telecommunications Equipment Purchase Program (TEPP) helps people with disabilities buy equipment needed to use basic telephone services.
The program is funded by the Wisconsin Universal Service Fund (USF) established by the Public Service Commission.
TEPP requirements include the following: applicant must be a Wisconsin resident; a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired or need special equipment to use the telephone in the home or when traveling. There is no age limit but an individual can only get TEPP money once every three years for the same disability.
The individual pays the first $100 and anything over the maximum voucher amount.
For more information about TEPP, write the Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854, call 608-231-3305 or email [email protected].
Door
County news 
