Radio Lady: Oregon Public Broadcasting pulled the plug on SAP radio.

[Radio_Lady]

The Accessible Information Network (formerly "Golden Hours") which served the blind and the visually impaired, homebound, disabled, and senior citizens with a radio reading service since 1975, will be off the air by the end of April. There are separate plans to keep it on the Internet through Omni Media Networks. However, these plans are not finalized at this time.

For your information, SAP (Secondary Audio Programming) will be gone completely from all VHF TV stations around the country on February 19, 2009, as part of the national move to digital transmission. Senior management at OPB elected to dump it earlier. Regrettably, the hardworking paid staff members there were not offered other comparable positions as far as I know.

There are 100 or so OPB volunteers who find themselves "encouraged to volunteer in other ways" by the VP of Marketing and Planning, Ms. Tara Taylor. I appreciated the chance to volunteer with OPB for more than seven years on pledge drives, as well as four years with Audience Services on Friday mornings, and the rest of the time providing a one-hour talk show each week.

In November 2007, I began a new relationship with www.KGW.com, the website of Channel 8, the NBC affiliate here in Portland. Right now, I'm providing occasional movie reviews and hope to add book reviews and travel features to this endeavor.

Also, I will be fulfilling my dream to work with animals again. In my youth, I took care of horses -- a mare and a stallion -- for some elderly neighbors in rural North Miami, Florida. As a teenager, I raised and trained my Boston Terrier, "Duchess of Dade" and competed in obedience trials. "Dolly" earned her Companion Dog degree, and then I bred her to one of the champions of the breed. She produced seven male puppies in what is called a "free whelp" style. She did not require a Caesarian section as most of the dams of that breed do. We ended up with our pictures in a book on Boston Terriers.

When I lived in New York, I had my own business as a dog trainer whenever things got too tough in the world of media. This is a bit off-topic, but I was able to work with dogs right up to the birth of my daughter in October 1968, one of the first children delivered by the Lamaze method of "prepared childbirth." Later, I had my son in December 1969 by the same method at Mercy Hospital in Miami, a Catholic teaching hospital where I was pleased to have the cooperation of an obstetrician who had never seen a Lamaze delivery. My son had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, which made it a high-risk delivery. I was glad I was awake for these births. I just want to thank Elizabeth Bing and all the doctors who were pioneers in this technique. I had virtually no anesthesia during the birth of either child -- and no sutures, either.

So, I am paying it forward. Last Saturday, I signed up with another non-profit group. Look at www.forwardstride.org if you want to see something really different. I'm determined to get out of offices and studios, and into the world of horses and the outdoors. I'm thrilled with this new connection. They have approximately 250 people volunteering.

This group, formerly known as Agape, was located in Sherwood, Oregon. However, they took over another location during winter break. It's now only 2.7 miles from our Beaverton home! There are 27 horses on 60 acres. It is beautiful and the staff is improving it every day. They took over the Fox Hollow Stables, if you happen to know about that facility off of SW 175th Avenue. At the initial training session last Saturday, we were told that a neighbor raises buffalo, and warned not to go near them. The neighbor put up an electric fence to keep them from wandering. Who knew that buffalo are meanies? I just remember them on nickels!

How fortunate I am to be able to help those who need this equine recreational therapy!

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Radio Lady Ellen Kimball in Oregon
(d/b/a Accessible Media Services)

(Crossposted to the Oregon and Washington state forums)

[Radio_Lady]

1. DUers -- Here's an update on my volunteer situation.

I appreciate those who inquired about my radio show. The whole radio reading service at Oregon Public Broadcasting was abandoned and the Secondary Audio Program channel is going away in February 2009.

You can hear one interview I did at:

http://www.rodcdavis.com

Click on the link that says Ellen Kimball "Golden Hours" (former name of the service) interviews...

Or try: http://www.rodcdavis.com/EllenKimball.html

Hope to get another gig soon.

Cordially,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[Blue-Jay]

2. Thanks for the update!

:hi:

[Radio_Lady]

3. Surprise! I'm waving back to you in "Chicagoland" --

:hi:

OT, We found out that our granddaughter graduated with an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007.
We wish her well via your presence here, Blue-Jay.

We've had our differences, but frankly, I have no ill will towards anyone here.

Are you watching the election results in PA?

Cordially,

Radio Lady Ellen in Oregon