CRIS Radio, a Program of The Chicago Lighthouse, Will Welcome Celebrity Volunteers to Read for Visually Impaired Listeners on Thursday, April 1st

Chicago, IL, March 18, 2010 --(PR.com)-- An array of outstanding media personalities from Chicago radio and television will fill in as volunteer readers on “Celebrity Day,” Thursday, April 1, at CRIS (Chicagoland Radio Information Service) Radio, a program of The Chicago Lighthouse.

To date, broadcasters who have signed on as guest readers are Roe Conn from WLS-AM; Janet Davies from ABC 7; Felicia Middlebrooks, Mary Frances Bragiel and Bart Shore from WBBM-AM; Andy Avalos and Lee Ann Trotter from NBC 5; Greg Brown from WLS- FM; Mike Kendall from WLIT-FM and Joe Collins from Shadow Traffic.

“We’re delighted that so many distinguished Chicago area broadcasters will take time from their busy schedules to join us on “Celebrity Day” so we can give our regular readers a well deserved day off,” said Bonnie Barnes, program director at CRIS.

She pointed out that “Celebrity Day” has been a popular tradition at CRIS Radio for many years and that the media personalities enjoy reading news and other information to people who are blind or otherwise severely disabled.

Noting that volunteers are always welcome, Ms. Barnes urged anyone who is interested in following in the footsteps of the celebrity readers to contact her at (312) 666-1331 ext. 3678, or E-mail: bonnie.barnes@chicagolighthouse.org

Nationally acclaimed, CRIS, which was founded nearly 30 years ago, provides daily readings of newspapers and periodicals including news stories, sales circulars, and classified listings for listeners who have a wide range of disabilities. It also broadcasts audio described movies and produces special interest programming dedicated to serving the interest of Chicago’s visually impaired and disabled community.

By using a special SCA receiver and broadcasting on WBEZ-FM’s subcarrier frequency, listeners have access to the same printed information available to the sighted able bodied. More than 40,000 listeners tune in from receivers placed in private residences, schools, libraries, hospitals, nursing homes, retirement centers, hospices, low vision clinics, and community centers.

CRIS also broadcasts on CAN-TV, Channels 19 and 21, to a potential one million cable subscribers in the Chicago area and to the whole world via The Chicago Lighthouse’s website, www.thechicagolighthouse.org.

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