Meet volunteer readers, John and Cheryl Burke Jarvis. The couple recently moved to Southern Illinois in June 2009 from Texas. Cheryl has always listened to NPR/Public Broadcasting wherever she was living. "I'm happy that Carbondale is a big enough town and University to have an NPR station," Cheryl said. "I listen to NPR all the time and that's actually how I heard about SIRIS."
John and Cheryl started volunteering with SIRIS in October 2010. Both journalism majors, they were looking for volunteer opportunities and thought SIRIS would be a good fit for their interests and experience. "I donate blood as often as I can and it's a lot like SIRIS," said John. "It cost you absolutely nothing, but it benefits many other people."
John appreciates what SIRIS offers to individuals who are blind or visually impaired. "If we can provide that service and allow them to hear their local news, so they know what is going on in their communities, I think that's a great contribution," John said.
The couple hopes that SIRIS can help people feel more connected to the community.
"I feel like we are very lucky people," Cheryl said. "We've been able to do a lot for ourselves, and I feel like we owe a little bit of that back. People have helped us along the way, and volunteering helps us to pay it forward. We've got the time, abilities, and resources and we want to be able to share some of that with others."
Cheryl also volunteers with Saint Francis CARE, which is a no kill-animal shelter. "I volunteer every week where I help with their adoption events at Petco, and exercise, train, and care for the animals at the shelter. It's much more time-consuming, but it's something I have a passion for."
