A reading service providing essential reading service to individuals who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise unable to read printed materials celebrated 50 years of its work on Thursday.
The Youngstown Radio Reading Service, sponsored by Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, held an anniversary event in Liberty, inviting the public to help celebrate five decades of radio reading.
“To get certain types of programs that are in print are very difficult to get otherwise,” Youngstown Radio Reading Service Manager Mike Muder said. “If the Radio Reading Service did not exist, there’d be certain programs that would be very difficult for someone who’s blind or print impaired to access.”
The service helps make information accessible to individuals with visual, physical, or mental impairments across Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania.
“Such a special day today. May 28th, 1976, is when the Youngstown Radio Reading Service first began broadcasting. So, we are celebrating 50 years to the day,” Muder said.
Muder took time to recognize Richard Smiley, a 50-year reading volunteer for the service, as well as each volunteer who provides their voice for listeners.
“We have about 60 or 70 volunteers that read various newspapers, magazines, books. Everything gets put into a timeslot in our broadcast schedule,” Muder said.
The service is broadcast 24/7 online through Amazon, Alexa and Siri as well as on the SCA band of WYSU FM.
Muder stated that the services are designed to be as accessible as possible through different outlets.
Radios are available for free to anyone interested in listening to the program.
More information and the service’s daily schedule for broadcasting can be found by clicking here.
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