IN FOCUS is a monthly feature that highlights an organization or agency in St. Louis that is making a difference in the lives and communities of our aging population. Always remember this Native American proverb, "We will be know forever by the tracks we leave. "
Bringing Printed Words to the Visibly Impaired
By Carl H. Hendrickson
You probably take for granted your ability to read this article or any of the many other fine articles in this and other editions of the PrimeLife Circuit. I know I do and I suspect that of most readers. We tend to give little thought to our senses, whether of sight, hearing, touch, or speech, until we become impaired and cannot fully utilize one or more of them.
Reading has been a special joy of mine since childhood. I have my favorite authors and cannot wait until they have released new books. What would I do if blind or print impaired?
In 1973, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Belleville, Illinois answered the question of what one could do if unable to read the printed word. “Minds Eye Information Service, formerly Radio Information Service, was established to fulfill the mission of providing enrichment, empowerment and enlightment to support the self-reliance of individuals who are print disabled or visually impaired through broadcasts of the printed words,” explained Kathleen Gutting, Community Resource Specialist for Minds Eye. Minds Eye is a nonprofit radio reading service located on the grounds of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville that offers non-sectarian programming to all who are visually impaired regardless of religious affiliation.
Although the service is broadcasting as this article is being read, Minds Eye cannot be found on the radio dial. John Weidlich, who recently retired as Program Director for Minds Eye, explained, “Minds Eye utilizes the side band of WSOX 101.1 FM to broadcast its signal. Listeners are loaned, free of charge, a special radio tuned exclusively to Minds Eye’s signal that provides them access to Minds Eye’s services. The computer savvy can also access Minds Eye by signing up to be an online listener.”
Weidlich, blind from birth, served Minds Eye for over 33 years. Since it’s beginning in 1973, the organization has moved from eight track tapes to digital broadcasting technology and has grown from a handful of volunteers to nearly 200. Today, through the Internet, service is available beyond the 75-mile radius of the radio station. Weidlich was present to witness much of the expansion of Minds Eye and has dedicated himself to the improvement of programming for the blind and visually impaired listeners. According to Gutting, “The Blindness and Disability Hour and Talkback, a call-in show hosted by John with topics pertaining to vision loss, would not have been successful without his invaluable input.”
Many of the services available to PrimeLife Circuit readers are made available to people who are blind, low vision or print disabled. Volunteers read newspapers, magazines, books, and retail circulars over the closed circuit radio station to the listeners. Gutting said, “The service currently reaches nearly 11,000 individuals in homes, nursing residences, retirement centers, and hospitals in the St. Louis Metro Area.”
Our readers have little difficulty in reading newspapers, checking TV listings to determine which television programs to watch, viewing the sports scores to see how their favorite team is doing, determining which stores are running specials and on which products, or checking out the movie reviews to see if there is a show worth seeing. A book by a favorite author may be purchased or borrowed from the local library branch. You and I take all this for granted. We do it every day. And, because of Minds Eye, so can the vision impaired, blind and print impaired. Minds Eye’s service is available to its listeners seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Each day vision impaired individuals gather around the special preset radios donated by Minds Eye and listen to volunteer broadcasters read the daily newspapers, magazines and books. The vision impaired often feels lonely and isolated as a result of being uninformed. “Minds Eye provides a vital social connection that keeps them from feeling cut off from the outside world,” Weidlich told the paper.
“The strength of Minds Eye is its cadre of volunteers,” said Weidlich. “They give up a commodity that cannot be replaced, their time. It is because of these volunteers that the service has been able to expand to seven days a week, 24 hours a day.”
As a nonprofit organization, Minds Eye relies on contributions and fundraising events to support its vital services. “For the past six years,” Gutting explained, “Minds Eye has sponsored a wine tasting and auction to raise money. The annual Soiree pour la Vue fundraiser always has been a first-class event, with impressive auction items and extraordinary wines.” Last January Mike Roberts, KSDK meteorologist, served as master of ceremonies and guided guests through a Mardi Gras themed evening of wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, music, auctions, and entertainment.
The next Soiree will be February 5, 2010 at Lemp’s Grand Hall, 1718 Cherokee Street in St. Louis. Minds Eye will add rum tasting to the program, along with wines and other beverages. “There will be a similar array of wonderful silent and oral auctions as in past years,” according to Gutting.
For additional information about Minds Eye call 618-394-6444 or 314-241-3400, extension 6444, or email mindseye@oblatesusa or go to the web site at www.mindseyeradio.org.