Vision Resource Center has been assisting the visually impaired and blind in Fayetteville since 1939 and its reading service is one of the newer innovations since its conception. Vision Resource Center has a 24/7 stream where those in the Fayetteville community can hear local news, obituaries and other happenings in the community.
Terri Thomas, executive director at the center, explained more about the service.
The stream contains content Thomas and volunteers read live or pre-record articles from local newspapers and magazines. The service is accessible to the blind or visually impaired via Zeno Radio, Alexa, online or a telephone call-in. Content includes some entertainment news as well.
The fresh content comes on from noon to 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. audio books, podcasts and uplifting content can be heard. From there, the previous content streams on until the new content comes on at 12 p.m. the next day.
There are several ways to listen to the stream. The first is by using the websites visionresourcecentercc.org or vrcvlyreadingservice.org.
Secondly, listeners can dial-in to the number 1-518-801-1347.
Thirdly, streamers can download the Zeno Radio app.
The final way to listen is to ask Amazon’s Alexa to open VRCVLY Reading Service. When prompted, say, “Listen Live.”
Currently, they have about 76 listeners but Thomas knows more will come in time.
The Road to the Reading Service
For those wondering how the reading service started, Thomas said it started with COVID.
She said during COVID-19 clients of the Vision Resource Center let her know they needed to know what was going on with COVID. They also needed other forms of entertainment.
She said a Fayetteville nonprofit at one point in time did have a radio service located on the Fayetteville State University campus where they read newsy information out to those visually impaired or blind. She said that service was discontinued.
Thomas explained to the VRC Board that an organization in Raleigh could help the VRC fill the gap where listeners could listen via radio. Rocky Mount had a similar service.
Thomas said she was researching the two and learning more about how to bring those services to Fayetteville. She said using radio seemed like a great platform, but she knew streaming was what everybody used.
Johnathan Milam from Winston-Salem contacted Thomas and put together the VRC-VLY website and station remotely.
The VLY stands for Virginia Lilly Yarborough. According to Thomas, Yarborough was one of the VRC’s biggest supporters and she loved listening to audio books.
Thomas said it was only fitting to ask her husband and family if the VRC could name the service in her honor.
Thomas said the service started in 2020. She went on a sabbatical in 2021. They relaunched again in March 2023 because she has been looking for more volunteers to help with the reading service.
Volunteers needed
Thomas said she wants to make VRC-VLY more accessible so anyone can access it. She said she already noticed senior citizens utilizing it. She just needs more volunteers to make it happen.
“People who want to volunteer and get more volunteer hours can do the readings at the VRC or virtually,” Thomas said.
Volunteers can come to the VRC at noon and read either for one or two hours. A reading partner will be there, too, so one person is only reading part of the time. Another option is to pre-record the news segment at the VRC or via Zoom from 9 to 11 a.m. to upload before noon. Thomas said volunteers can record via Zoom while another person is at the VRC at noon.
Call the center at 910-483-2719 for more information.