Audio Journal News and Happy Thanksgiving Wishes!

November 2021

News from Audio Journal | Serving Central Massachusetts Since 1987

New - Bill's Daily Weather Forecast!

Picture of Bill Ruggiero and picture of a city after a snow storm.

Bill Ruggiero, Audio Journal listener, has a passion for the weather! Bill reached out to us to ask if he could record the daily weather to broadcast to our listeners and we said, “Yes!” So, we set up a time for him to come to the Audio Journal office to learn how to record the weather on his iPhone and send it to us in an email. What a quick study!

He gets the weather update from the National Weather Service and sends us his daily recording to share with all of our listeners. You can usually hear Bill’s weather at 1:57 p.m. after the reading of the Worcester Telegram &Gazette, Monday through Friday on Audio Journal.

Bill also enjoys sharing his holiday greetings. We thank him for his enthusiasm to share his interests and talents with listeners.

Will you help support Audio Journal’s fundraising effort by becoming a social media connector for

Giving Tuesday, November 30th?

Audio Journal provides a radio reading service for our visually impaired listeners in Central Massachusetts at no cost – but, of course, operating a non-profit business is not free. Which is why we’re asking you to help amplify our fundraising efforts through your social media contacts.

Your endorsement of Audio Journal is a powerful signal to your connections. You can be the influencer that makes a difference for Audio Journal by holding a Giving Tuesday fundraiser for Audio Journal. This year we have a goal of raising $5,000. It’s easy!

CLICK HERE to find instructions for Facebook and Email fundraising campaigns in support of Audio Journal.

Please contact Mary Frandsen, Executive Director, at mary@audiojournal.org or 508-797-1117 if you have any questions.

Town Square Central Massachusetts – “All Local. All Good.”

Town Square is a different kind of news site. Their mission is to tell the stories of what’s good in a community, to focus locally, and to bring people together around a common set of experiences and positive stories that celebrate the best of a community.

Recently, Ken Brown, founder, and Genevieve DiNatale, journalist, came to the studios for a tour and then wrote a nice article about Audio Journal! Special thanks to volunteer reader, Elaine Stabile, who is quoted in the article. You can read the article here.

Beginning in December, returning volunteer, Johnna Doyle will read Central MA Town square on the air on Thursdays at 4 p.m.

The Audio Journal App for iPhone®/iPad® is just about to get better with your help!

App Testers Wanted

Picture of Mary Frandsen, Amy Orozco, Ben Robinson, and Caleb Farwell

Audio Journal is fortunate to have three Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) students adding new features to the Audio Journal App for iPhone and iPad. Amy Orozco, Ben Robinson, and Caleb Farwell are working with Professors Rodica Neamtu and Lane Harrison and Audio Journal Executive Director, Mary Frandsen, to complete their Major Qualifying Project. If you are interested in becoming a tester, please email mary@audiojournal.org with your name and phone number.

“Now In Technicolor”

an art exhibit experience

at ArtsWorcester for

the visually impaired

On September 8, Audio Journal partnered with ArtsWorcester and the Worcester Talking Book Library to share ArtsWorcester’s Now In Technicolor exhibit. Since many people who are visually impaired don’t lose their sight until later in life, they know colors and enjoyed the descriptions of the art. Audio Journal listener, Mark Binnall, Mary Frandsen, and Alice Dillon, Associate Director of ArtsWorcester are pictured here.

Our state representatives paid a visit in person

at Audio Journal Studios!

Representative Michael Kushmerek and his Legislative Aide, Brandon Robbins, and intern, Pedro (pictured above left) came for a studio tour on September 15. Representative David LeBoeuf (pictured above right) visited on October 22. It’s important to remind our legislators that Audio Journal is our visually and print impaired listeners only source of local news. Audio Journal thanks all of our State Legislators for their support in helping us secure Massachusetts State funding.

Audio Journal is Hiring!

Know anyone who wants to help manage volunteers, complete some office tasks, and learn to edit audio files? Please send them our way. The job description may be found here.

Radio Active Theatre Performs

at Small Stones Festival of the Arts

On October 16, 2021, Audio Journal’s Radio Active Theatre (RAT) players and members of the Shakespeare Club of Grafton partnered to present Spoon River Anthology as a live radio play. It was held at the Grafton Public Library as part of the Small Stones Festival of the Arts. One by one, players dressed in minimal, yet creatively clever costumes, came to microphones and recited poems about their lives and deaths. They really know how to bring a play to life!

Author, Edgar Lee Masters, wrote the poems to share life in small town America. Special thanks to Catherine Thornton (pictured left) for leading and directing the play. You can hear more RAT radio plays by listening to Audio Journal at 8 p.m. on the 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th Tuesdays of the month, and at 7 p.m. on Sunday evenings.

Speaking Volumes

Radio Book Group and Special Guest, Ben Montgomery

Picture of Stacey Lanier and

Carol Sarafconn

Audio Journal thanks Ben Montgomery, author of Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail, who joined the Speaking Volumes radio book group by phone on November 2, 2021. You can hear this one hour program on the Audio Journal website: https://audiojournal.org/podcast/speaking-volumes/

If you love reading and talking about books, Speaking Volumes is for you. All the books are available at the Worcester Talking Book Library and you may call in during the broadcast to participate in the discussion. The phone number is 508-752-0557. Speaking Volumes airs live at 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. Repeats may be heard Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. Special thanks to volunteer Carol Sarafconn for leading and organizing the group.

Outreach and Education to Central MA Community

Mary Frandsen, Executive Director, has been out and about sharing all things Audio Journal with Central MA organizations. People who know about Audio Journal's services can connect their visually impaired family, friends, and neighbors to what we have to offer.

Mary presented to the Lions Clubs of Acton, Harvard, Leicester, and Sturbridge, and the Marlborough Low Vision Support Group; recruited volunteers at a meeting of the MIT Club of Boston; attended a breakfast for nonprofit leaders held by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts; delivered special Audio Journal radios and Amazon Echoes to individual listeners; and delivered a Barix Box to Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center in Northborough. The Barix Box allows the Center to play Audio Journal through its own communication system.

Thank you volunteers! It needs to be said more often. The really tricky part is communicating the sincerity that is intended. Audio Journal staff and listeners are grateful for our volunteers every day. The really good news is, we need more volunteers. If you are interested in:

Reading live on the radio

Recording programs at home

Researching content for programs

Delivering radios and Amazon Echoes

Audio editing

Office tasks

Fundraising

Please email mary@audiojournal.org