News Brief - July 2020

From our Executive Director, Barbara Loh:

It's officially summer. July 1 marks the beginning of a new fiscal year. We forge ahead despite almost a half a year of living with COVID-19!! Tragically that will continue into 2021. We continue to have expanded broadcasts to cover all the latest developments including a weekday round up of all the latest pandemic news in the evening between our 5 pm broadcast of the New York Times and the 6 pm broadcast of the Boston Globe. We are also scanning multiple media outlets continuously for the latest in-depth news and information to keep our listeners safe, healthy, and informed.

Have you seen our new website!! After many months in development, it is finally live. Take a look. Let us know what you think. We are very grateful to the Beveridge Family Foundation for helping to fund it. With additional funding, we hope to have live streaming and podcasts available to our listeners very soon.

We are now part of the in-house communication systems and broadcasting line ups for residents of Glenmeadow and soon for the patients at Baystate Medical Center. Many thanks to Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for the capital grant to make that possible.

That technological upgrading has also made it possible for VER to keep broadcasting 24/7 during this COVID crisis. With it, most of the recordings we broadcast have been read by our volunteer readers in the safety of their own homes. Our thanks to them as always for providing all the essential content needed for our listeners at such a vulnerable time.

While the year ahead financially is still up in the air until a final state budget is passed, we are so grateful to the Davis Foundation for their recent grant as well as all of our loyal donors, including individuals, Lions Clubs, Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly, South Congregational Church, as well as many others who we know we can always count on.

You are truly keeping us on the air for our listeners.

  • Valley Eye Radio presents more local event programs from experts in the medical field with the talk in January by Baystate Medical Center infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Daniel Skiest, on "Polio: History, Vaccine and Near Eradication" recorded in January at Storrs Library in Longmeadow. Yet another very timely and historical presentation during this time of another virus pandemic.


  • In early July, Valley Eye Radio broadcast the latest talk in the Instant Issues Online series by the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts. The presentation by Dr. Javier Corrales, Chair of Political Science at Amherst College, was entitled “Why Populism is the Sugar Salt Fat in Our Politics: Examples from the US, Europe, and Latin America”.

  • All the information you need about Valley Eye Radio is now available in one easily accessible place online. You can find the latest blog of articles and news briefs about our activities, print a copy of our updated local programming schedule, make a donation to support our mission or volunteer to help and more at our brand new and fully accessible website www.valleyeyeradio.org.

  • Don’t forget to also visit our social media for the very latest Valley Eye Radio news. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram or Pinterest.
  • Valley Eye Radio continues to address issues specific to those who are blind and visually impaired with our broadcast of the presentation on Orientation and Mobility by the MA Commission for the Blind. Carole Wilson, Supervisor of Rehab Teaching Services, and Mike Dionne, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, presented this information at the Agawam Senior Center in March.

  • Every Wednesday at 1:30 pm, we also carry the nationally syndicated program “Eyes on Success” about accessibility issues. We’re always looking for programs such as these that can help our listeners live better and more independently.

  • Happy Birthday to all of our dedicated volunteers who were born in the month of July: Johanna felt the love on the 1st, Cheryl got all the attention on the 2nd, Linda G. enjoys best wishes on the 9th, Wendy gets (virtual) visits from friends and family on the 11th, Barbara K. begins another trip around the sun as well on the 11th, Jules enjoys his cake and presents on the 14th, Mary Z. gets spoiled on the 25th, Eileen celebrates on the 28th as well as our longtime volunteer Sandy who enjoys the same day!

    Happy Birthday wishes to all!

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