Closed Circuit - Listener Appreciation & Lunch

July / August 2022 | Volume 40 Issue 4

A Fun Celebration!

We had a wonderful night at Arterra celebrating and thanking our volunteers! Drinks, appetizers and dinner were amazing, but could not compare with the wonderful conversations! Volunteers and staff enjoyed the new venue but were unable to test out the patio in the 100+ degree heat - next time!

Anniversary Recipients pose with their certificates. Back Row L-R: Alison Beloin Dean, Coordinator of Volunteers, Marilyn Bradt - 30 years, Michael Rapport - 15 years, Maureen Guth - 10 years, Carl Graves - 25 years, John Robertson - 5 years, Tandy Ruessner - 5 years, Jeri Safarik - 5 years, Duyahn Walker, Listener. Front Row L-R: Martha Kehr - 5 years, Gretchen Burch - 5 years.

Duyahn Walker joined us from Kansas City and shared his many years of experience with and appreciation for Audio-Reader. He has been a listener since he was 17 and helped test our now wildly popular Alexa Skill. Click below to hear all the messages from listeners who called in to thank our volunteers!

Listener Comments

Volunteers Roberta Renz (Wichita Eagle reader) and Karen DeVictor (Newspapers of Southeast Kansas reader).

Volunteers Martha Kehr (Missouri News Hour & Grocery Store ads), Gretchen Burch (KC Star Obituaries on TR) and Melinda Kearney (Two on the Aisle & Adult Hour).

Volunteers Donna (Children's Hour) & Harold (On the Lighter Side) Riehm with Alison Beloin Dean. The Riehms are now serving their 36th year at Audio-Reader!

Lunch Bunch is Back!

Join us for Lunch

Lawrence Beer Company

826 Pennsylvania Street

August 2nd at Noon

Email Alison (abd@ku.edu) to RSVP

Audio-Reader will provide appetizers, volunteers are responsible for the cost of their lunch and drinks.

Sensory Garden

Are you interested in learning more about gardening? Do you enjoy being outdoors amongst nature? Do you like spending time in Audio-Reader’s Sensory Garden? Do you like to make an impact in people’s lives? Do you have a green thumb and enjoy gardening?

If you answered YES to ANY of these (notice we didn’t say ALL!) please join us in the Audio-Reader living room on

September 15 from 11:00-11:30am

We are in desperate need of more regular volunteers to help maintain our beautiful and nationally recognized Sensory Garden. Enjoy coffee and muffins during this time as you learn more about Audio-Reader’s Sensory Garden and what it takes to be a garden volunteer.

You don’t have to know a lot about gardening…you just have to have a passion to help make a difference! We will give you a tour of the Sensory Garden and go over the responsibilities of a regular Sensory Garden volunteer. We hope you will consider making a difference for Audio-Reader by giving your time to the Sensory Garden as a garden volunteer!

Audio-Reader Golf Classic

Thank you to all of the volunteers who made the 2022 Audio-Reader Golf Classic a huge success!

We weren’t sure what to expect after a two-year pandemic hiatus, but thanks to support from our volunteers and donors, this year’s tournament raised over $31,000!

Two new teams took the top spots for both flights this year, Landmark Bank and Laura Blanchard AE Group, and we welcomed back approx. 80 returning players too.

We had a blast enjoying the amazing weather, beautiful course, and meaningful words from lunch speakers, listener Tom Anderson and KU Head Football Coach Lance Leipold. Our dedicated volunteers made it all possible; a few fun examples include reader Clair Keizer who put together a team this year, and Linda and Jim Thompson and Karen and Fred DeVictor – Jim and Fred played while Karen and Linda volunteered at the Silent Auction!

We also want to thank presenting sponsor McDaniel Knutson Financial Partners, as well as our golf committee Randy Austin, Pete Knutson, Dr. Mark Praeger, Jim Moore, Nicole Corcoran, Bob Kerr, and Robert Jacobs. Thank you all for helping us share the gift of sight through sound!

New In-Person Audio Sales Coming Soon

Friday, September 16^th

Save the date for an exclusive evening sale of audio equipment and vinyl records. This will be a ticketed event with a limited number of tickets available. All proceeds support Audio-Reader. We hope you can join us for this fun audio event at Audio-Reader! More details to come.

Audio-Reader is transitioning its big annual “For Your EARS Only” audio sale to a series of audio sales right here at Audio-Reader! While we hoped to kick off our first one in July, we’re using this extra time to perfect the first sale of this series.

Updated Studios

Almost every studio has been updated with brand new computer equipment! You know longer have time to count the leaves on the trees outside your studio window while the newspaper loads.

Are you interested in learning how to edit your programs in studio - see your wave file and delete your mistakes? If you want more control over the recording process let us know. Staff will happily train you on the advanced recording software on the new computers!

Thank you to both our Studio Naming donors & our One Day. One KU. supporters for making these updates possible!