Winter 2024

From our Executive Director, Barbara Loh:

It is hard to believe, but this week marks the tenth year I have been at Valley Eye Radio. Prior to having the privilege of leading our organization, I started as a volunteer reader. It has been a great opportunity to put my background in nonprofit management and journalism to work for our listeners and serve our organization's unique mission.

It has truly been a time of cherishing every day the goodwill and caring that our volunteers, staff, board members, donors, and community supporters bring in many ways so that our listeners can stay informed and connected rather than facing social isolation and loneliness.

I think of a volunteer who gets up at dawn on Sundays to make sure our listeners have the latest edition of the Springfield Republican. I remain amazed at having the most reliable donors who give time after time when asked and even when we don’t ask. I am so grateful for the community supporters and businesses who provide resources along with our local state legislators fighting to get us funding every year, not to mention our board members who pull up their sleeves and pitch in when needed.

Valley Eye Radio is unique in so many ways. We are truly like a family full of caring and generous supporters who are determined to provide equal access to those who need us due to visual and other medical and physical challenges.

Unfortunately, I do have to report that one of those very special members of our VER family passed away in December--John Ptaszek Jr. He spent years devoting many hours and resources to our mission—as a volunteer reader, a valued board member and treasurer, and a generous donor. We will miss him beyond words. As a fellow volunteer reader aptly described, "He was Mr. Valley Eye Radio."

• Thanks to the generosity of many supporters, Valley Eye Radio exceeded its match goal on Giving Tuesday and had a successful year-end fundraiser.
  
  

• In January, to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy, Baystate Health held an event celebration entitled "It Starts with Me: Shifting the Cultural Climate" and Valley Eye Radio was able to rebroadcast the audio for our eligible listeners..

  Our thanks to Baystate Health and all those who made this program event possible.

• Valley Eye Radio is available to make personal and virtual presentations to your staff or community group to update them about our unique service of providing broadcast readings from local newspapers and other publications to those who cannot access this information for themselves. Call us at (413) 747-7337 or contact us through our website www.valleyeyeradio.org to get more information.

• Valley Eye Radio is looking ahead toward February when our friends at Baystate Health will once again observe Heart Health Month with a series of informative presentations by their expert staff to inform the public about the latest updates in diagnosis and treatment options.
  
  Once again, we hope to be able to bring the audio from these presentations to our listeners on heart related topics such as the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, the Pharmacist’s Role, Bypass Surgery and Weight Loss Medications.
  
  
• Thanks to our continuing collaboration with the World Affairs Council of Western Massachusetts, Valley Eye Radio was able to present the audio from their two most recent presentations.
  
  

  Happy Birthday to all of our dedicated volunteer readers who felt the love from friends and family on their special day in December:  Joe M., Cynthia, Maureen A., Chris T., Wendy, Stephen, Jody, Marie and Sara.
  

  Happy Birthday also to our valued volunteers who began another trip around the sun in January:  David K., Arvind, Marilyn, Warren, Jim P., Bob Z., Jack, Ken, Mary P., Peter, Carol and Sara.

  …and a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday to You” to all of those in our volunteer reader family who will get their cake and presents in February: Pam, Keith, Jeanne, Chris C., Jay, Bob K., Matt, Sharon and Barb.