From the Director

Triangle Radio Reading Service is approaching its 30^th anniversary.  On June 15^th 1982 TRRS received its incorporation papers.  The stated mission was to provide access to local news and information from the print media to people who could not read standard print. Today, TRRS still provides that access, and in the process connects people who are blind and print impaired to each other, their communities and families by delivering news, information and entertainment using the latest audio technology.  What a WONDERFUL service to those who cannot otherwise read print material.

For this reason, 150 volunteers come into TRRS’ cramped studio space on Six Forks Rd. to read to about 20,000 people who listen through many different media.  There are those who use specially tuned radio receivers, those who listen on community access TV, others use their computer to stream the broadcast to them, and still others download specific programs to their portable recording media, like their i-pod or MP3 player, to take TRRS wherever they go.

When TRRS first went on the air in 1983 the broadcast was one hour long, and the radio signal could almost reach the entire city of Raleigh.  Now, TRRS is on the air 24 hours a day, and the radio signal reaches 20 counties in north central NC.  BUT – the internet system reaches people from around the world!!!  I have received email from folks in Mongolia, and Chechnya who use our broadcasts to increase their knowledge of English!  But, more importantly, the TRRS broadcasts are used by many of the radio reading services around our country as the underlying network for their listeners, or they pick and choose among our programs for the ones they feel their listeners would find useful.

All these wonderful advances would be great, if the Board of Directors could assure themselves and the community that TRRS will remain on the air.  But, this is not an easy task.  Despite the faithfulness of so many volunteers, it still takes dollars to keep TRRS on the air.  In the current economy, that has become a serious obstacle that I don’t know how we are going to hurdle.  Do you have some ideas you can share with us?  How about making a donation to TRRS?  You could make that an ongoing pledge either electronically via credit card, or online through Network for Good, or you could simply send TRRS a monthly check to help with the costs of studio space, electricity and staff.  It costs about $750 to produce 24 hours worth of programs.  The specially tuned radios cost $26 each, and currently there are about 20 people waiting for one. There is no money available to order more.

So, right now, TRRS is living by the motto: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”  Come dance in the rain with us, and make a donation to TRRS so we can continue to breathe words into the lives of those who cannot read print material as we wait for the current economic storm to pass.

Linda Ornt, Director