CLOSED
CIRCUIT
Audio-Reader's monthly volunteer newsletter
June 2014
Vol. 32, Issue 6
    

  

Summer is here, and that means conference travel and vacations for many Audio-Reader staff members.  The end of June will be especially light, with Lori, Art and Jen headed to the IAAIS Conference in Fort Wayne, IN, June 25-29. Additionally, George will be on vacation June 23-27. Here's how you can help:


  1. Let us know about any absences in late June and early July well in advance. We will be trying to cover not only the time we are gone, but the week after so we don't come back to a lot of uncovered openings.
  2. Call the main number, 864-4600, if you have a last-minute cancellation or scheduling issue. Lisa and Susan will be handling these, and direct messages to George or Jen may not be received in time for Lisa and Susan to respond.
  3. Be patient. Technical difficulties will happen-they always do-and it may take a little extra time to troubleshoot things. Don't be afraid to go downstairs and ask for help.
  4. Your reading materials may not be prepared the way they usually are. Just grin and bear it, and if something is missing, don't hesitate to ask-the staff who are staying here will be happy to track it down for you!

Thanks, everyone, for helping make things easy while we are gone!

 

 

~The Audio-Reader Staff

             A Day on the Greens Brings some Serious Green to Audio-Reader 

By Brenda Berg-Dyck, Development Director  

Gorgeous weather, 21 teams, 14 sponsors, and a group of hard-working and early-rising volunteers and staff made for a fantastic day on the golf course to benefit Audio-Reader. The 5th Annual Golf Classic, led by legendary KU Associate Athletics Director and event chairman John Hadl, was held at Alvamar Country Club on Monday, May 19, raising $18,500 for Audio-Reader.

 

Winning teams include:  1st place, flight A: Miles Schnaer, Pat Henderson, Kelley Miller and Jamie Bermel; 1st place, flight B: Jerry Magnuson, Gary Leonardi, John Butler and David Ross; 2nd place flight A: Tyler McMaster, Bob Schwartz, Dave Boxberger and Cole Schwarz; 2nd place flight B: Scott Weatherwax, Bob Kerr, Darrell Brock and Kevin Newkirk. Other winners include: Cecil Kingsley, longest putt; Monica Foltz, longest drive (women's); Stephen Blanchard, longest drive (men's); and Phil Roush, closest to the pin.

First place flight winners Kelly Miller, Jamie Bermel, Miles Schnaer, and Pat Henderson

"Audio-Reader is an important service that provides information and companionship to the blind and visually impaired across the state of Kansas. I've really enjoyed helping this great organization and being a part of the tournament," Hadl said.

 

Last, but not least, a huge thank you goes out to the fantastic four members of the planning committee: Peter Knutson, Randy Austin, Dr. Mark Praeger and Al Rogers. These dedicated men are responsible for another successful golf tournament to benefit Audio-Reader. Our gratitude and congratulations goes out to each of them.


 The Fun(d-raising) Continues! 
By Lori Lange, Audio-Reader Volunteer
 

With only six individuals participating, a donation of almost $60 was achieved in the Avon fundraiser for Audio-Reader.  Volunteer and Avon representative Lori Lange would like to make this an ongoing program. Orders placed for Avon products through her will receive at least a 10% donation back to Audio-Reader, if you request that your order is part of the Audio-Reader fundraising program. You can call or email her at 785-331-7032, langegang6@juno.com , to get a current brochure, place an order, or ask any questions. Shop online at  www.lorilange.avonrepresentative.com(forward the online order to Lori via e-mail and note that it is part of the Audio-Reader fundraising program). Local delivery is preferred, but orders delivered directly to you will also qualify.

Come Join Us!
By Susan Tabor, Assistant Coordinator of Volunteers

 

Remember to join us at the Eldridge Hotel to wish Development Director Brenda Berg-Dyck well as she transitions into her new full-time work as a yoga instructor. Hope to see you there!

 

Let's send her forward in Audio-Reader style!

 

News and Notes 
Compiled by Susan Tabor, Assistant Coordinator of Volunteers

Our News And Notes column this month is filled with Thespian news!

 

Audio-Reader volunteer Charles Decedue is performing as the interpreter in The King and I at Theatre Lawrence. And Audio-Reader volunteer Darcy Schild is assistant director. The show opens June 13. For tickets and for more information, go to www.theatrelawrence.com or call 843-SHOW, AKA 843-7469. Audio-Reader will provide Audio Description for the June 28 performance.

 

Audio-Reader volunteer Michael Rapport has been cast for the father in William Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors at KU's Kansas Classical Repertory Theatre. He will also play the father in The Boys from Syracuse, a musical based on Comedy of Errors. Visit  http://www.kutheatre.com/performances.shtmlfor show dates and times.

 

We have two more graduates to recognize!

David Simon, who read the University Daily Kansan for Telephone Reader on Wednesdays, graduated from KU with a degree in English. He is off to spend some time exploring Central America!

 

Nici Coulson, host of Audio-Reader's Sunday Magazines program, has finished her Masters of Science in Teaching at Baker University.  She is leaving soon to teach in Venezuela! 

 

 Reading Workshop Addresses New Technique
By Jen Nigro, Coordinator of Volunteers 

 

Lenita Richardson, Dave Corley and Rob Tabor listen to Dan's presentation.

We had a small but eager group at this year's volunteer reader workshop, held April 25 under the guidance of Dan Compo. This year Dan, an Audio-Reader volunteer and owner of the Commercial Actor's Studio in Kansas City, focused on a reading technique called chunking. After explaining this technique to the group Dan demonstrated, then called on individuals to practice. It was a worthwhile morning!

Mary Hamler, Kathe Dougherty and Guy Jacobs try "chunking".

If you were unable to attend but still want to learn about chunking, you can access the workshop on the Audio-Reader web page. Visit http://reader.ku.edu/workshops.shtml and click on the link for the 2014 workshop. Feel free to explore the other topics while you're there!

 
John Trinkl tackles a tricky reading passage.
 
   New Faces

By Jen Nigro, Coordinator of Volunteers  

  

Please give a warm welcome to the following new volunteer!

 

Molly Bindel works for the Grandview, MO, license bureau and is mother to two sons. She enjoys reading, writing, cooking, film and crafts in her spare time. Molly begins by reading the Aldi and Apple Market ads for Telephone Reader.

 

What is Local?  

By Jen Nigro, Coordinator of Volunteers

  

What is local? It's a question we ask our newspaper readers to interpret every day. Our main focus at Audio-Reader is to make local news available to the visually-impaired. But local has different meanings to different people. I'm here today to try to clarify that point.

Merriam Webster defines local as relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town. That's a pretty clear definition. But dive into a small town newspaper, and the water gets a bit muddy. Does a story about the next town over qualify as local? How about news from the statehouse that has an impact on everyone, no matter where they live? What about the sports teams we all follow? Local can be a confusing concept.

 

Two instances of recent local news confusion come to mind. The first was the Jewish Community Center shooting in Kansas City. This, of course, was front page news in the Kansas City Star, and our Breakfast Table Times readers covered it as such. But it was also front page news in the Lawrence Journal World, Wichita Eagle, and various other community newspapers. And everyone read it. Often it was the SAME story-the bulk of the information from the Associated Press with a little local reaction mixed in. Why? It was the biggest story in the region. It hit people close to home. And because it felt close to home, it felt local.

 

The second story was the controversy over Michelle Obama's intention to speak at a high school graduation in Topeka. The story was everywhere-the Kansas City Star, Topeka Capital-Journal, Lawrence Journal World, and other papers. Again, we covered it during the Breakfast Table Times (though the Kansas City reader read it-not the Topeka reader!), and again I heard it when we read the Lawrence Journal World and the Wichita Eagle. In this case, there was no chance of their being a local angle-it was just the hot regional story of the day.

 

So, what is local? Yes, state news has an impact on the people we serve. But, as you can see from the examples above, our listeners have access to that information already-first, in the newspaper local to the community where it happened, and second, through local TV and radio outlets. We are not the only place they will hear this information. Rather, local is defined by what is unique to a particular community. On the front page of the Tuesday, May 13 edition of the Maryville Daily Forum, there is news of a school bus accident and the restoration of the pipe organ at Conception Abbey. That news isn't going to make the Kansas City Star or the Wichita Eagle, but it's important to the people in Maryville and Nodaway County, MO. Likewise, in the May 9 edition of the Independence Daily Reporter, you will find news about ideas for a downtown mural, and an historic building getting a state-of-the-art cooling system.

Sure, this news isn't making headlines anywhere else, but it is unique to the Independence, KS, community and should be covered when we read.  

 

So, when you read newspapers, first identify the community you are reading about. Then, consider what is unique to that community. Do they have their own university? Then skip the Jayhawks and read about the local sports team. Do they have a fundraiser going on for a community member? An annual all school reunion? Was a crime committed in a usually quiet town? Did a celebrity or lawmaker visit? These are all good stories to read, as long as they are tied to the community you are covering.

 

So, think unique, think local next time you read!  Unless, of course, you read for Telephone Reader or special request-- those newspapers have different guidelines. 

 The Spirituality of Reading
By Susan Tabor, Assistant Coordinator of Volunteers

The desire to write an article or a series of articles concerning reading as a spiritual activity has been rolling around in my head for awhile. But I wanted to wait awhile before I started writing about it to more completely formulate my ideas concerning this topic and how it might be best to present them.

 

I decided to present this material in a series of articles/reflections, of which this one is the first.

 

Some of you who know me may not be surprised that my thought process might take a turn in this direction. Others of you who know me may think I have lost my mind! Once this series is complete, both sides will certainly have more information with which to make a final determination!

 

Most spiritual traditions have both a contemplative side and a body of knowledge that is activity which is informed by the contemplation and/or study that is a part of helping people to grow in their knowledge of their spiritual tradition. As with many spiritual traditions, it is helpful to view contemplation and action on a continuum; activity is rarely totally on one end of the continuum or the other, but properties of both contemplation and action function to inform each other.

 

Reading begins with a call or a desire. This may be anything from feeling drawn to a particular book, periodical, etc., to feeling drawn to reading for a particular purpose, such as the draw here at Audio-Reader: making printed materials accessible to people who are print-impaired.

 

Many spiritual traditions also use ritual in their spiritual practices. Often there are rituals associated with reading. For instance, there may be things a person routinely does to prepare for reading such as to make sure a particular reading spot is available and ready for their use. Some people need to have a beverage whether they are reading aloud or silently, so that needs to be prepared. Some people need things to enhance their reading experience, such as reading glasses, a pen or marker for highlighting, a microphone, etc., and those need to be gathered together. These preparations are rituals that prepare us for reading. Some people like to review or preview material and this also can be viewed as a part of the preparation ritual.

 

When reading is a spiritual act, it is done with the original call in mind at some level of consciousness; e.g., the call to read a particular book, the call to read for a particular purpose. People are also interested in methods or ideas that will help to improve their reading experience.

 

Here are a few questions upon which you may reflect:

 

  1. Is reading a spiritual act for you? Why or why not?
  2. Is reading aloud always active? Is reading silently always contemplative? Why or why not?
  3. Do you have certain rituals that you engage in to prepare for reading, that you exercise while you are reading, or that you use to complete your reading? If so, what are they?

Stay tuned for Part II in next month's Closed Circuit!      

 
Five Questions
 

 

Name: Linda Stoner    

  Current reading assignment:

books; currently reading The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd.

Years of service: four years, five months

 

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Springfield, MO 

 

Q:  What is your favorite book?

A:  Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country for its poignant prose/poetry introduction to the native populations of South Africa. 
 

Q: How or why did you get involved with Audio-Reader?

A:  Through my friend, Doug Washburn. 

 

Q: What is your favorite or most unusual reading assignment?

A: Most unusual: a textbook on kinesiology for some massage therapy students.
 

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about volunteering for Audio-Reader?

A: I love to read books aloud-but it is a bit tedious to do it at home by myself!  

 What is IPS?
By Kristen Nash, High School Student Intern


Kristen just graduated from Free State High School. Here, she shares a little bit about her favorite class.

 

IPS stands for interpersonal skills. What you do in IPS is try to close social gaps. Here are some examples of things we do in IPS:

 

We were put into groups to do a community impact project. The project I liked was when we helped a Baldwin teen whose name is Molly Ogden. We raised money for her to go to speech camp so she could improve her speech since she had a stroke.

 

Another thing we did that I thought was fun was to partner with Lawrence High School's IPS class. We did a lot of things with them like eating lunch, playing games and sometimes going out into the community for lunch with them.

 

Out of all of my high school classes IPS was the class that was the most fun.

 This Month in Audio-Reader History
 

 June 2009:   

  

 

Students from Eaton Academy in Detroit, MI, visited Audio-Reader and KU after the class adopted Audio-Reader as a class fundraising project. Additionally, Kansas Public Radio built a new transmitter in Manhattan, KS, giving Audio-Reader a stronger signal in the area.

 
June 2004:
Jen Nigro started work as the Coordinator of Volunteers!  
 
   

June 1999:

Janet Campbell added to her responsibilities by becoming the director of Kansas Public Radio in addition to Audio-Reader. Our on-air fund drive became a mail campaign.

  

June 1989:  

Audio-Reader went on the air in southeast Kansas through a new relationship with KRPS in Pittsburg.

 

Frey's Fun and Frolic

A dose of humor compiled by Don Frey, Volunteer

  

Many readers enjoy puns. You may have seen some of these before, but probably not all of them. Check these out, and have a good laugh:

 

Puns

Those who jump off a bridge in Paris are in Seine.

A man's home is his castle, in a manor of speaking.

Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.

Practice safe eating - always use condiments.

Shotgun wedding - A case of wife or death.

A hangover is the wrath of grapes.

Does the name Pavlov ring a bell?

Reading while sunbathing makes you well red.

When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.

A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two tired.

In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes.

She was engaged to a boyfriend with a wooden leg but broke it off.

A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

If you don't pay your exorcist, you get repossessed.

With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.

You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

Local Area Network in Australia - the LAN down under.

Every calendar's days are numbered.

A lot of money is tainted - Taint yours and taint mine.

A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.

He had a photographic memory that was never developed.

Once you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.

Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis.

Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses.

Acupuncture is a jab well done.

 

 Recipe Corner
 By Susan Tabor, Assistant Coordinator of Volunteers
 

 

When I visited my cousin in Virginia this last January, I had the opportunity to enjoy a shrimp pasta salad, which was absolutely delicious!   I'm still waiting on my cousin to get the recipe from her neighbor so until I get it, I think I've come up with a good facsimile, courtesy of Taste of Home.

 

My book club is meeting on Memorial Day and I'm taking this to the salad supper we're having before our meeting. I'm going to add some cucumber and some chopped red and green peppers and a few red pepper flakes. Yum! This is great as a cool meal on a hot summer day, or at any time! Enjoy, and feel free to be creative and add other vegetables in addition to or in lieu of those that are called for here. And feel free to experiment with spices too! This is a recipe that is good as is, but also invites creativity.

 

Shrimp Pasta Salad

10 Servings Prep: 20 min. + chilling

 

Ingredients

 

  • 4 cups cooked small pasta shells
  • 1 pound cooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into thirds
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

 

 

Directions

 

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, shrimp, peas, onions and parsley.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill,

salt and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture and toss gently. Cover and

refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.


     
Birthdays

 

June 1

  • Lorel Lewis reads the FYI section from the Kansas City Star on Fridays for Telephone Reader.

June 2

  • Charlyn Orel is one of our Emeritus volunteers.

June 3

  • Chuck Brown is one of our substitute readers.
  • Merilee Dymacek is one of our substitute readers.
  • Chris Hotvedt reads from the Topeka Capital-Journal on Sundays for Telephone Reader.
  • Martin Okekearu hosts the Online show weekly and reads Remembrances from the Kansas City Star on Tuesdays for Telephone Reader.

June 4

  • Rocky Davied reads news from southeast Kansas from our location at KRPS in Pittsburg.
  • Bob Stahl also reads news of southeast Kansas from our location at KRPS in Pittsburg.

June 5

  • Marla Adkins-Heljeson reads from the Sports section of the Kansas City Star on Sundays for Telephone Reader.
  • Jenifer Harman hosts readings from Cosmopolitan Magazine.
  • Fred Miller reads Local news from the Kansas City Star on Sundays for Telephone Reader.

June 6

  • Laura Denneler is our "clean-up" reader for Telephone Reader on Tuesdays.

June 7

  • Terri Heitz reads the University Daily Kansan on Tuesdays for Telephone Reader.

June 8

  • Renee Claire reads the Pitch Weekly.

June 10

  • Colinda Thompson is one of our substitute readers.

June 12

  • David Kent is one of our substitute readers.
  • Virginia Smith reads news from southeast Kansas from our location in Pittsburg.

June 13

  • Judy Rounda reads books.

June 14

  • Ed Koehler reads news from southeast Kansas from our location in Pittsburg.

June 18

  • Kathy Sanders hosts the reading of the Lawrence Journal World on Fridays.

June 20

  • Don Frey co-hosts the Thursday morning Breakfast Table Times, and also co-hosts Double Order of Freys; he also compiled the Old Time Radio Show which airs on Saturday morning and contributes to this newsletter.

June 21

  • Arleta Bell is one of our Emeritus volunteers.

June 23

  • Kathe Dougherty is one of our substitute readers.
  • Michael Kimber is one of our Emeritus volunteers.
  • Mary Ann Saunders hosts the Mail Order Catalogs Show weekly.

June 24

  • David Dinneen reads books.
  • Thomas Howe reads the front page news from the Kansas City Star each Tuesday.
  • Bettie Ore reads newspapers for Special Requests.

June 25

  • Guy Jacobs reads from the Topeka Capital-Journal on Wednesdays for Telephone Reader and also reads books.

June 26

  • David Carter reads books.
  • Bruce Roberts reads western Kansas regional news on Tuesdays.

June 28

  • Mary Ann Strong co-hosts the Breakfast Table Times on Tuesday mornings.

Picture Perfect
   

 

Congratulations to Feloniz Lovato-Winston! Not only is she taking the reins this month as Audio-Reader's Development Director, she is continuing our presence in the Lawrence Noon Lions Club. She was inducted on June 3.   

 

In This Issue
Golf Tournament Green
Avon Fun(d)raiser!
Goodbye, Brenda
News and Notes
Reading Workshop
New Faces
What is Local?
Spiritual Reading
Five Questions
IPS
A-R History
Frey's Fun and Frolic
Recipe Corner
Birthdays
Picture Perfect
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments about Audio-Reader or Closed Circuit, please contact us:

Phone: (785) 864-4600
Toll Free: (800) 772-8898
Fax: (785) 864-5278