September / October 2019 | Volume 37 Issue 5
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New Opening Hours to Prepare for the Future
By Dan Skinner, Audio-Reader Director
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EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 30TH,
OUR LAWRENCE LOCATION WILL OPEN AT 8AM DAILY
As many of you will know, the current fiscal year is our first year with a 50% reduction in funding from the university. We have one more year at this funding level before our KU budget for salaries and operating expenses is eliminated completely.
In an effort to stay ahead of future changes, we are implementing new operating hours at our Lawrence location. This will result in a significant saving in our operating expense, while minimally affecting the services we provide. Resulting changes are outlined below, and we greatly appreciate your understanding and continued commitment to providing audio information services to our constituents across Kansas, Missouri, and beyond.
Effective Monday, September 30th:
- The Baehr Audio-Reader Center will open to staff and volunteers at 8am, Mon-Sun.
- The earliest recording slots will begin at 8am. Some morning recording slots will need to be adjusted, and priority will be given to "day of" content (e.g reading the current day's newspaper, such as Wichita Eagle or Missouri News Hour). If you are a book reader who can possibly shift to afternoon readings, please contact Nick or Alison now.
- Breakfast Table Times will begin at 9am daily and end at 10:30am (Mon-Sat) and 11am on Sundays.
- Some program broadcast days will shift to allow for the new schedule change. Nick is in the process of contacting volunteers whose broadcast or reading schedule might be affected.
Thank you for your patience during this transition. Change in everything is inevitable and difficult, but we believe this is the best option for Audio-Reader's long term financial and staffing stability.
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Meet a Volunteer
By Kimberly Morrow, Volunteer & Listener
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Audio-Reader volunteer Hannah Ehmcke is young, intelligent, energetic—and absolutely perfect for the job! Hannah keeps print-disabled KU students and alumni alike informed about the goings-on on campus by reading the University Daily Kansan. Hannah says, “It’s fun to have a student voice reading the student newspaper.”
You might say that Hannah Ehmcke is into everything. The 21-year-old triplet found out about Audio-Reader when she was researching service projects she could do through the KU Mortar Board Honor Society. “I got involved in Alternative Breaks, which allows students to do service projects on the weekends,” Hannah explains. “The first thing (Audio-Reader) assigned me to do was to read the opinion page of the Kansas City Star. I loved it! Later, I found out that I was supposed to actually be tending the Audio-Reader sensory garden. But I loved reading, and I became addicted to it. I love reading for Audio-Reader.”
The Sioux City native has been volunteering since the first of the year. She is earning a double major in marketing and business analytics. This is Hannah’s final year at KU, and she’s not sure where life will take her. “I love to travel, so I’m not ruling anything out as to where I’ll end up. I do want to live in a medium- to large-sized city.” Wherever she goes, Hannah will treasure the time she has spent at Audio-Reader. “Audio-Reader is a lot of fun.”
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New Audio-Reader T-Shirts!
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Do you need more Audio-Reader swag? We love to see volunteers come in to read with their A-R t-shirts on!
We are placing an order for Audio-Reader t-shirts, with a
NEW color and design
. There are two different styles, soft crew neck and a equally soft v-neck (ladies' cut) t-shirt. Both shirts are heather royal blue with the Audio-Reader logo in white on the left breast.
Place your order with Alison
BY SEPTEMBER 16TH
(abd@ku.edu or 785-864-4604) to ensure getting the size and style you want.
When you order please
include the size, style and number of shirts
you would like. Suggested donation is
$15 per shirt
.
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Help us reach even MORE people by spreading the word about Audio-Reader at one of the following events!
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September 8-15
Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, KS
September 17
Sunflower Health and Wellness Fair, Salina, KS
September 19
Senior Resource Center Expo, 10 am - 2 pm, Lawrence, KS
September 21
LMH Health Fair (morning only), Lawrence, KS
September 26
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging Senior Expo, Wichita, KS
October 3 & 4
Missouri Council of the Blind Convention, Kansas City, MO
October 10
Clay County Mo Senior Resource Fair, Kansas City, MO
October 16
Flint Hills Senior Life Fair, Emporia, KS
October 17
Road to Wellness, Kansas City, KS
October 18
Live Well, Age Well, Overland Park, KS
November 9
Kansas Optometric Association Fall Eyecare Conference, Wichita, KS
November 9
Veterans Pen Celebration, Kansas City, MO
Contact Lori Kesinger (lrk@ku.edu) or Alison Beloin Dean (abd@ku.edu) for more information.
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The Missouri Council of the Blind is looking for volunteers to help with logistics during their state convention, October 3-6 at the Holiday Inn on the Plaza in Kansas City, MO. Primary duties are helping attendees navigate the hotel and meeting space. Times are flexible. Contact Jusita Tabor for details at 314-383-2045.
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Audio-Reader 17
th
Annual Benefit Sale, “For Your EARS Only” September 13 & 14, 2019
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Make plans to attend Audio-Reader’s 17th annual sale, “For Your EARS Only,” at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, Building #21, on Friday, September 13 from 6-9pm and Saturday, September 14 from 9am-2pm. Friday night is a ticketed event with first access to all of the merchandise, free food and prizes. Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased at Audio-Reader, or $15 at the door. New this year is the “Express Pass” ticket option for $25. Saturday is free with many prices significantly reduced after noon.
This annual sale has become a significant fundraiser for Audio-Reader. Last year’s event grossed over $40,000 and we are looking forward to another successful event this year. Of course the success of this sale would not be possible without all of the amazing volunteers who dedicate so much of their time, effort and yes, sometimes sweat, to make it happen. Our volunteer effort has become even more necessary in the last few years and we are grateful for the help! We would like to give a special thanks to Mike Wood, Michael Cornelius, Tom and Melinda Kearney, Linda Dieter and Steve Sears for bringing sale donations from KCUR and thank you to Randy Austin and his Fairlawn Plaza team for bringing sale donations from Home At Last in Topeka. A very important thank you goes to Dave Dunford, Lori Tesdahl and Bob Heintzen, our head equipment, record and CD volunteers respectively. And a very heartfelt thank you goes out to the dozens of volunteers who help with the set-up and clean-up of the event as well as those who work the event. This sale is a big undertaking and we are humbled by the dedication of our volunteers.
We look forward to reporting back on the success of the sale….in the meantime, tell all your friends about the sale and help us continue to make this a great fundraiser for Audio-Reader!
Click
here to follow our Facebook event page for more information about the sale!
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Sara Carlson
is a KU senior majoring in Film & Media Studies with minors in English and Journalism. She enjoys listening to podcasts, reading poetry and nonfiction essays, and has experience with voice-over work.
Karen Davis Brown
is a recently retired high school English teacher. She enjoys being active outside, traveling and spending time with her grandchildren.
Sandi Hague
develops affordable housing real estate and is a former teacher and newspaper columnist. She loves to travel, is conversant in French and is currently learning Spanish. Sandi will be reading at our Alphapointe location in Kansas City, MO.
Becky Householder
is a master gardener who is joining the ranks of our dedicated Sensory Garden volunteers. She is a recently retired nurse who is excited to get back to gardening.
Clair Keizer
has a wide variety of interests that include travel, wine, art & photography, reading and cooking. He is excited to be back on campus reading for Audio-Reader.
Tom Lang
is a retired attorney and Illinois county court judge. He learned about Audio-Reader from our golf tournament at Eagle Bend and is excited to read for individuals who are blind and print impaired.
Virginia Long
retired from the Lyric Opera of KC about 10 years ago. She also volunteers at the Nelson-Atkins and enjoys travel and wine tasting. Virginia joins us reading for Alphapointe.
Nora Quitno
is relocating to Lawrence. She enjoys travel and gardening. Her sister Anne Roberts also reads for Audio-Reader. They will be working together to cover the Lawrence Journal World on Fridays. Nora will also sub in elsewhere when she can.
Connie Rodriguez
crochets, is a voracious reader, enjoys traveling, biking and game nights with friends. She is looking forward to making print materials more accessible for everyone!
John Rogers
joins us reading articles written by male veterans in
Veterans' Voices
. He is a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer and recently moved back to Lawrence. He speaks several languages and is currently auditing classes at KU.
Mercedes Schlapper
is a member of the Kansas City Social Symphony. She will be reading the publication
Pan Pipes
for our Special Request program. Cede also enjoys embroidery and creating miniatures.
Ben Stanton
comes to us with experience in radio broadcasting and as a reader for the Arizona State Braille and Talking Book Library. He will be the clean-up reader for us on Tuesdays, ensuring our many Telephone Reader assignments are completed that day.
Althea Townsend
is a retired Probation Officer with the Juvenile Court. She enjoys reading aloud, sewing, cooking and gardening.
Jim Woelfel
will be reading the Lawrence Journal World on Thursdays. He is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy & Humanities at KU. He worked at local radio stations as an announcer and DJ in High School and College.
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1 - Steven Jack, Susan Stahl & Lisa Beck
2 - Bill Pearce, Amanda Miller, Scott Anderson & Jo Anne Zingo
4 - Carol Jones & Lynn Segebrecht
6 - Pat Ashley-Hiscock & Julie Noonan
7 - Jaci Pierce
12 - George Smith & Dan Karasek
14 - Bill Kalahurka, Michael Papp & Susan McCarthy
15 - Nancy Scott
17 - Lynne Ellis, Jared Long, Kelly Gibson & John Rober
18 - Lisa Suddith
21 - Julie Whistman, James Lowe, & Dee Dee Eccles
22 - Tina Mitchell
23 - Tracy Russo
24 - Jim O'Malley
25 - Thelma Taylor
26 - Clark Lafever & Michael Beckett
27 - Lucas Houk
28 - Jenni Frangos, Nancy Hause, Michael Cornelius & Frank Marque
29 - Mary Beth Leininger
30 - Barbara Johnston & Mike Obermeier
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1 - Jane Teder & Erin Bolton
2 - Margaret Mayes, Sarah St. John & Jan Kinney
3 - Roberta Renz & Boyd Conrad
5 - Nancy Johnson
6 - Karen O'Keefe, Penny Riley & Joe Friskell
7 - Jennifer Stefanchik, Jessica Mayhew & Carol Nauman
9 - Patricia Cahill, Tom Van Fleet & Karen Wuenstel
10 - Ruth Hughes
11 - Peg Sampson &
Audio-Reader!
12 - Tom Kearney & Joan Neal
14 - Deb Turpin & Albert Kaine
15 - Karen Puckett
16 - Shelley Sandberg & John Burns
17 - Amy Kelly
18 - Art Hadley, Edith Bond & Sarah Thomas
19 - Laveda Peterlin
20 - Lois Hanzlik
21 - Nina Davis, Rebecca Jordan, Wendy Kim-Luellen & Donna Conway
23 - John Havel, Peter Knutson & Jim Taylor
25 - Melissa Monroe & Jennifer Forth
27 - Janet Campbell & Gabe Mullen
29 - Scott Kelley
30 - Mary Beth Filice
31 - Cal Karlin & Ryan McMonigle
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Audio-Reader Network
| reader.ku.edu
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