December 2020

From our Executive Director, Barbara Loh:

Well, we have moved, but we aren't exactly moved in. It will take some time to get settled, but we are officially broadcasting from 1 Federal Street at our new office at the STCC Technology Park. Despite the inevitable disruptions from moving--especially the broadcasting equipment--Harold and Chris Tracy, our engineer, kept us on the air continuously for our listeners throughout the whole process. That is quite a feat, and we are so thankful to them.

Many thanks also to our volunteer readers who filled in for our regular in-studio live readers while our new newsroom was being constructed. They were able to step in and record the daily newspapers remotely at home with the help of our state-of-the-art technology. Their dedication and can do attitude was inspiring! One volunteer was even getting up at 5am to get the Springfield Republican, record it for an hour, and get it to Harold by 8:30 for our live broadcast at 9am. So Jim, Eileen, Heather, and Barb as well as many others, thank you!!

Giving Tuesday was a great success thanks to so many of our loyal donors and supporters. Thanks to board members who provided a match, we reached our goal of over $5,000. We have started our End of Year Campaign that will end on 12/31. We hope to raise another $5,000 with your help.

As you may have heard, the Governor recently signed the much delayed FY'21 budget. Since July we have not had state funds to rely on for our operating costs. Thankfully over the last six months, we have had fantastic local support from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, the Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, Health New England, local Lions Clubs, and our loyal supporters to keep us going as we awaited news from the state.

Now it is time to thank some of our local legislators, particularly Senator Jim Welch and his staff for getting us into the FY'21 final budget. Also, Senators Eric Lesser and John Velis who joined Welch in sponsoring an amendment for Valley Eye Radio that became part of the final FY'21 budget.

In addition, we received state funding from another amendment for members of the Massachusetts Audio Information Network across the state.

We also want to thank Representative Carlos Gonzalez and many others for their support on the House side. As a result of all of their efforts, we will be receiving more state funding than we have ever received!!!

Many thanks all around as always. You truly keep us on the air for our listeners.

On December 7th, thanks to the Longmeadow Adult Center and Storrs Library, Valley Eye Radio broadcast audio from Professor Gary Lefort’s virtual presentation on Pearl Harbor including stories, facts, and theories about the attack, and a U S. and Japanese (before and after) perspective of the attack. This was sponsored by the Longmeadow Adult Community Center Fund.

• Valley Eye Radio continued their presentation of the Breast Wellness Series from Baystate Health with the latest in treatment options. A virtual talk about Restorative Breast Collaboration was presented by Dr. Danielle Lipoff, Breast Surgeon and Dr. William Collins, Plastic Surgeon.
  
  

• We also continue to present important updates on Covid-19 and other important topics from many major publications such as the NY Times, National Geographic, Atlantic Magazine, our MassLive.com weekday update and more!
  

• Valley Eye Radio also broadcast two other looks back in local history thanks to Storrs Library and the Longmeadow Historical Society.

• Our listeners heard audio recordings of the virtual presentations by Dr. Ian Delahanty, assistant professor of history at Springfield College, who highlighted scholarly new findings on the history of slavery in New England and Professor Marla R. Miller’s examination of the lives of Anglo-, African, and Native American women in one rural New England community, Hadley, MA in the late 18th century during the town's slow transformation following the Revolutionary War.

• Happy Birthday to all of those in our volunteer reader family who were born in the month of December: Joe had (virtual) visits from family and friends on the 4th, Cynthia celebrated on the 6th, Scott got all the attention on the 8th, Carol begins her next trip around the sun on the 24th and Jody gets extra presents on the 25th.
  
  Happy Holidays and Happy Birthday wishes to all!