Phone: 252.443.7551

As recently as 2001, an area radio reading service was merely a topic of discussion by a small group of interested individuals seeking to improve the quality of life for local blind and visually impaired citizens. As previous initiatives to begin such a service had fallen on fallow ground, some measure of pessimism was evident in those early conversations. Regardless, another run at the concept was mustered and the rest, as they say, is history.

DERRS, which has been on the air since 2003, is an efficient and effective operation currently serving more than 600 individual listeners and listening stations 24 hours a day from its studio in the Tarrytown Center in Rocky Mount. More than 100 volunteer directors, officers, and readers manage and staff the service, which has no paid employees. Operations are funded through the generosity of individual, civic and corporate patrons.

Down East Radio Reading Service, Inc. is a 501c(3) not-for-profit entity operating in the public domain.  Its books are available for examination by the general public, by appointment only.