<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:v =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18812"><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="State"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType
namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"></o:SmartTagType><!--[if !mso]>
<STYLE>st1\:* {
BEHAVIOR: url(#default#ieooui)
}
</STYLE>
<![endif]-->
<STYLE>
<!--
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
color:black;
mso-believe-normal-left:yes;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:blue;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;
text-decoration:none none;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</STYLE>
<![if mso 9]><style>
p.MsoNormal
{margin-left:3.0pt;}
</style><![endif]><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></HEAD>
<BODY style="MARGIN: 3pt 3pt 0.75pt" lang=EN-US link=blue bgColor=#ffffff
vLink=purple>
<DIV><B><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" lang=EN>BLIND
RADIO PERSONALITY RETIRES AFTER 33 YEARS <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>BELLEVILLE, September 2,
2009 – John Weidlich, program director for Minds Eye radio reading service, will
retire at the end of this month. Blind from birth, Weidlich has become the
core of Minds Eye, providing invaluable advice to staff and volunteers and
serving as an advocate for visually impaired listeners. For more than 33 years,
he has touched the lives of countless blind, visually impaired and print
impaired individuals living in the <U1:PLACE u2:st="on"><U1:CITY
u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St.
Louis</U1:CITY></U1:CITY></U1:PLACE></st1:place></st1:City> metro area.
Weidlich will hang up his headphones for the last time on Sept.
30.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>“I can’t think of anyone who
has had more curveballs thrown at him during a career than John. He’s hit
a homerun every time and deserves some time to relax,” said Marjorie Williams,
executive director at Minds Eye.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>From eight track tapes to
digital broadcasting technology and three volunteers to nearly 200, Weidlich has
been there to witness and contribute to the growth of Minds Eye. In
addition to the hundreds of printed publications currently broadcast by the
station, Weidlich introduced programming dedicated to blind and visually
impaired listeners that is not accessible elsewhere, such as the Blindness and
Disability Hour and Talkback, a call-in show hosted by Weidlich with topics
pertaining to vision loss. Weidlich’s popularity among listeners and
volunteers serves as a testament to his impact on the local
community.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>“I think we [Minds Eye] have
shown the community at large that people who are blind or disabled can function
capably and participate in community activities. I like to think that when
volunteers see me, a blind person, working here, they will be educated and
informed about what blind people can do. And if our listeners take part in
a community activity because of something they hear about on our station, that
further educates the general public about blindness,” said
Weidlich.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>Before he signs off for the
last time, Weidlich will be the guest of honor during his retirement at the
Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows visitor’s center on Sept. 20 from 4 – 6 p.m. and
accept the Alumni Merit Award at <U1:PLACE u2:st="on"><U1:PLACENAME
u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Saint
Louis</U1:PLACENAME></st1:PlaceName></st1:place> <U1:PLACETYPE
u2:st="on">University</U1:PLACETYPE></U1:PLACETYPE></U1:PLACE> on Sept. 25 at 4
p.m. His official retirement date is Sept. 30.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>“We’re losing a very special
part of Minds Eye with John’s retirement,” said Williams. “He taught our
listeners, especially those just starting to deal with vision loss, that
blindness isn’t a death sentence and gave so many a new lease on life by sharing
his voice and experiences.” <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT color=black size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt" lang=EN>Minds Eye Information
Service is a nonprofit radio reading service located on the grounds of the
National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows in <U1:PLACE u2:st="on"><U1:CITY
u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Belleville</U1:CITY></st1:City>, <U1:STATE u2:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Ill.</U1:STATE></U1:STATE></U1:PLACE></st1:State></st1:place>
The closed circuit radio station provides free radio receivers and Internet
broadcasts to people who are blind, have low vision or are print disabled so
they can listen to volunteers read newspapers, magazines, books and retail
circulars. The service reaches nearly 11,000 people in private residences,
nursing homes, retirement centers and hospitals in the <U1:PLACE
u2:st="on"><U1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St.
Louis</U1:CITY></U1:CITY></U1:PLACE></st1:place></st1:City> metro area.
For more information, call 618-394-6444 or 314-241-3400, ext. 6444 or visit <A
href="http://www.mindseyeradio.org/">www.mindseyeradio.org</A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV><BR>
<HR>
<FONT color=blue size=1 face=Arial>This email and any files transmitted with it
are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to
whom they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient and have received
this email in error please notify the system manager. Please note that any views
or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not
necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check
this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The company accepts
no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this
email.<BR><BR></FONT></BODY></HTML>