Phone: 252.443.7551

Volunteers

Volunteering is the lifeblood of the reading service.  DERRS has no paid employees and operates entirely with its nearly 100 volunteers.  Volunteers prepare and read material on the air daily, assist with clerical duties, serve on committees and boards, present programs to community groups, assist with technical installation and maintenance, exhibits at fairs, festivals, and other public functions, administer surveys, certify receiver placements, pick up and deliver receivers, and prepare and publish public information.

This site contains a volunteer application form (pdf: 12kb) that can be downloaded, completed, and submitted to the reading service.  A form may also be requested by calling 252-443-7551.  Almost everyone can help in some way.  Consider volunteering to help our print impaired friends in Edgecombe, Nash, and Wilson counties.

"We've been friends for 43 years," Lina said.  "So reading together just seemed natural," Donna added.  No, they don't usually finish each other's sentences, but their lives have paralleled in many ways for many years, with careers, families, community and church.

Their paths first crossed when Donna was a new bride in Wilson, "all those years ago," they explained.  They were both educators in the Nash/Rocky Mount school system and began car pooling to work.  Fast forward a few decades and now Donna has retired as principal of Spring Hope Primary and Lina has retired as principal of Benvenue Middle School.

"When we were asked about volunteering for the radio reading service, we both agreed to do it," Donna said.  "It was a perfect opportunity to get involved, now that we're retired and have the time."

"Helping someone else is like helping yourself," Lina continued.  "We all need help at some time or other, and we want to give something back to the community.  We love doing it."

Lina and Donna read together the first Wednesday of every month, but have enjoyed the opportunity to meet and read with other volunteers.  "The radio reading service brings people together," Lina said.  "We've spent our careers as educators and know the value of reading.  It's wonderful that information can be heard by those who can't read.  Local information keeps us connected to each other."

The "B" and "B" Show

Volunteer readers Barbara Batts and Barbara Raynor always come to the radio station:

1. together
2. on Wednesdays
3. twice a month.

They also come ready to read the day's news and to have a good time.  "We always wanted to have a radio talk show," said Barbara Batts.  "This is probably as close as we'll ever get, but that's OK.  We love what we're doing."

Their work as readers is taken seriously, knowing that their efforts affect what information the listeners get that day.  What shines through in person and on the air is warmth, humor and dedication.

"We were getting ready to go on the air recently and were asked if we wanted to play music at the end of the broadcast to fill in time, to keep from having "dead air."  We looked at each other and said, 'We never have dead air; we just keep talking!" Batts laughed.

Both are long-time residents of the area; both have families and have "known each other forever."  When one found out about the radio reading service, she enlisted the other to volunteer.  They've been reading together ever since, fitting in their days at the radio reading service among many other volunteer activities.

"This is such a worthwhile thing to do," said Barbara Raynor, "and we truly enjoy it.  I know it makes a difference in peoples' lives.  We all know someone who has had to deal with vision problems and it can happen to anyone.  When we read, we want the listeners to hear the smiles in our voices."  How could they not?

What Our Readers Are Saying

"I love volunteering at the radio station.  We have a lot of fun and I think it's worthwhile."

"My mom would have enjoyed this, but it wasn't available.  I do this in her memory."

"I like that it's flexible.  I can volunteer on a regular schedule, or whenever I have time."

"My only qualification is that I liked reading aloud to my kids.  None of us are professionals, but we try."

"I like meeting new people and helping others in the community."

"It's like being invited into someone's home and you're so happy to be there."

Volunteer Application
(pdf: 12kb)