By Lori Berkey, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – Bruce Andrews grew up with a little sister who was six years his junior. He loved to read to her. As an Eagle Scout during his youth, he was picked to read a selection to the public at a Memorial Day Parade. He's been a church lector most of his life. He simply loves to read aloud. Upon moving to Shrewsbury 18 years ago, Andrews saw an ad seeking volunteers to read the news on the air for the Audio Journal's program that broadcasts to listeners who are blind or have other print disabilities. Andrews called the number and has been a volunteer reader for the organization ever since.
Audio Journal is a nonprofit agency that offers free 24-hour broadcasts of newspaper and magazine material, as well as special programs and interviews. Listeners in central Massachusetts can obtain free radio receivers or listen to the live stream, podcasts and archived programs at www.audiojournal.net. Additionally, programming is accessible via select cable access television stations in Worcester County, including Shrewsbury Public Access (SPAC) Channel 28.
Andrews and a partner volunteer read a local newspaper on the air twice a month. Andrews finds the service very rewarding. Over the years, he has attended volunteer appreciation events held by Audio Journal to which listeners are invited to attend.
“People will come up and say, “I heard you on the radio.” It's nice feedback,” Andrews said, adding that listeners send e-mails or notes to the organization that are displayed in the broadcast room for volunteers to see.
On one occasion, a listener who is blind contacted Andrews, saying he had heard Andrews's broadcast and was wondering if Andrews would be willing to meet with him to read some materials he needed to access for his job. Andrews obliged, going to the man's house.
“I will read to anybody at the drop of a hat,” Andrews said, “I just love to read out loud. That's a passion of mine.”
Besides his love of reading aloud, Andrews loves to volunteer, period. He said his father was active in the community in many sectors and always stressed the importance of volunteering.
Andrews also hosts a television show for SPAC called “Roses are Read” in which he reads poetry, edits the recordings and adds music. For a time, he served on Audio Journal's board of directors and was board president for three years.
“The enrichment to your personal life [gained by] volunteering for someone else is so powerful,” Andrews said, “If you can only convince young people, anybody, to get out of yourself and do something for somebody else, it's just amazing.”
Andrews doesn's just read for the public or parishioners at his church, he's kept up the habit of reading to his family too.
“I read to my wife every night,” he said.
He plans to keep working for Audio Journal as long as he can. Founded in 1987, the organization has continued to acquire updated technology and now has equipment at their studio that enables staff members who are blind to assist with program editing and other tasks.
For more information about Audio Journal, visit www.audiojournal.net or call 1-508-797-1117.