OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS HONORED WITH 2011 GOLD AND SILVER MIC AWARDS

Tempe, AZ – May 17, 2011 - Each year, Sun Sounds of Arizona volunteers are honored with the special recognition of the Gold Mic Award for Volunteer of the Year, and the Silver Mic Award for lifetime service. This year the Sun Sounds of Arizona Tempe affiliate is proud to bestow these awards on volunteers Frank Williams and Jim Raynak.

Frank Williams began reading at Sun Sounds in 2008 to bring his love of literature to those who are print-disabled. In addition to novels, Williams reads the Arizona Republic and substitutes at a moment’s notice, participates as an active outreach Ambassador, and volunteers at fundraising events.

Williams cites an incident of temporary blindness in his young adulthood that solidified for him the importance of reading. As a Green Beret, Williams suffered a cerebral hemmorage and lost his vision for one week. “I was most scared by the fact that I wouldn’t be able to read, something I’d cherished all my life.”
As a very young boy, he recalls, he’d often overhear his father reading aloud to his mother. “I’ve come to see that as a tremendous act of love – to read to another person. It’s holy work and that’s why I’m so attached to Sun Sounds.”

For 10 years listeners have relied on Jim Raynak’s steady presence to read The Wall Street Journal each week on Sun Sounds. In addition to countless hours on-air, Raynak is a selfless volunteer, giving hours of time participating in annual fundraising events and administrative mailings.

Sun Sounds of Arizona salutes Williams and Raynak for their commitment to service. Other Tempe volunteers receiving special recognition were Margie Zebell for 30 years of service, Pat Good for 25 years of service, Virginia Anders for 25 years of service, and Candee Lewis for 15 years of service, and Char Engstrom for 10 years of service.

In Flagstaff, volunteer Jini Trudeau received the Gold Mic award.

In Tucson, the Gold Mic went to Naomi Osgood and the Silver to Jim McCarr.

For additional information about this release, contact:
Heidi Capriotti
Marketing Coordinator
Sun Sounds of Arizona
480-774-8300
hcapriotti@sunsounds.org
http://sunsounds.org

Sun Sounds of Arizona, established in 1979, is a radio reading and information access service for people who cannot read conventional print due to a disability. A community service of Rio Salado College, Sun Sounds with the help of 500 volunteers across the state provides information access free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using radio, designated cable systems, telephone and the internet.