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Stay in the know with your fellow volunteers and learn about current events happening in the Volunteer Nation

 

    

 

 

 

Volunteer Nation Blog

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Stay in the know with your fellow volunteers, read the latest volunteer spotlight, and learn about current events happening in the Volunteer Nation.


Paula Restrepo
Paula Restrepo
Paula Restrepo's Blog

Volunteer Spotlight: Marsha Poppie

Marsha Poppie 

What do you do at Learning Ally? 

I mostly do recording of instructional text with occasional checking of other’s files.  In the 90’s, I was on the board of directors for the Orland Park studio. 

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How long have you volunteered at Learning Ally?

This is my 25th year of volunteering for Learning Ally (previously known as Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic).

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What made you want to volunteer at Learning Ally?

After all my children were out of the house and off to school, I had more free time on my hands and wanted to volunteer. I have always felt that blind people faced challenges in everyday life and learning and so I wanted to share my eyesight in a constructive helpful manner.

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What's something most people at LA don't know about you?

Perhaps, that I used to work as an extra in TV and film.

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What do you like most about volunteering at LA?

With the advent of our virtual studio, I like the flexibility it affords me in sitting to record at any time of the day I wish.  I also enjoy the gratification I receive in knowing that some student somewhere really needs the book I’m working on and will learn from it. Moreover, another thing I enjoy about recording for LA is that I am learning as well from every book I read.

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Do you have any advice for prospective LA volunteers?

Ease into the process and understand that you will not know everything at once.  Staff and other volunteers are very helpful and always there to lend advice. Even now, I still learn new things.

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What is your favorite audio book/ book if you have any?

When I was recording Inferno by Dan Brown, I became so engrossed in the story that I was going to the studio extra days to read it.  

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What do you do during your free time?

During my free time I most enjoy singing in a choir, making quilts, going to movies, reading, traveling and spending time with my family of six children, their spouses, and eleven grandchildren.  

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What is your Favorite movie or TV series?

I like all the PBS shows, Downton Abbey, Grantchester, Call the Midwife, Doc Martin etc.  The intrigue of Raymond Reddington on Blacklist captivates me.  

 


Volunteer Spotlight: Shelley Cincotta

                                                                                               Shelley Cincotta

What do you do at Learning Ally? 

As part of the Literature community, I am happy to be narrating children’s books and I am learning a lot from the other volunteers in the virtual literary salon.

As a checker in the Textbook community, I have listened to many well-spoken narrators!  This summer, I joined the textbook pre-production pilot where I am writing project guidelines for textbooks, mostly English textbooks.  I have also helped to update the project guideline template to make it easier to use.

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How long have you volunteered at Learning Ally? 

I started volunteering at Learning Ally in Fall 2018.

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What made you want to volunteer at Learning Ally?

My son is dyslexic and, for the past five years, he has used the LA app to read higher level books.  He listens to LA books almost every day. I wanted to contribute to this great cause to help children with learning differences love reading. I enjoy reading to my son and wanted to “read” to other children by narrating books.

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What's something most people at LA don't know about you?

I enjoy hiking and have hiked in ten National Parks so far. My goal is to hike in all National Parks in the US. Also, I would love to work for LA as part of the staff.

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What do you like most about volunteering at LA?

Because it is a virtual working environment, I can work on my own time and at my own pace. I like interacting with the staff and other volunteers on hangouts. Everyone is extremely nice!!

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Do you have any advice for prospective LA volunteers?

You can find a niche for yourself in any of the writing, editing, narrating opportunities.

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What is your favorite audiobook/ book if you have any?

I enjoy listening, with my son, to the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

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What do you do during your free time?

I like to spend as much time as I can with my family at the ocean, swimming, kayaking, walking, and eating ice cream.

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What is your Favorite movie or TV series?

Lately, I have been watching the Jack Ryan series on Amazon.