September 8, 2024 • 30 mins
This week’s show featured Radio Talking Book Service program director Ryan Osentowki reflecting on 50 years of their service to the blind and visually impaired, Legal Aid of Nebraska employment law staff attorney Ivy Lutz detailing financial aid available for some agricultural workers impacted by the pandemic, and 9/11 Day of Service founder David Paine talking about the significance of this week’s anniversary.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from News Radio eleven ten kfab It's
Scott for Heats.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you so much for being a part of our program.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This week.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
There is a wonderful fiftieth anniversary celebration coming up for
one of the most important media outlets in town, the
Radio Talking Book Service, and we welcome back to Community Matters.
The program director for Radio Talking Book Service, Ryan Ozenowski,
is back here. Ryan, welcome back to hey Scott. Great
to see again, buddy. Yeah, fifty years of this, congratulations.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
We are very proud of being around for fifty years.
We started on September third of nineteen seventy four, so
you and I are recording this on our birthday. Yes,
So I forgot to mention that I know you would
have had cake for me if I had been here,
and of course Cammy's a big fan of cake. But
we're so happy to be a part of Omaha and
(01:08):
to be a voice for the blind and visually impaired.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, well, you know, we on News Radio eleven ten
KFAB one of the stations that host community matters here.
We turn one hundred this year. But we think you
kids and your fifty year old radio group there, that's
just adorable.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
But we're very good company. We're in very good company too.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
That's no, that's awesome. Fifty years of doing anything is
impressive any more, five years of doing anything is pretty impressive.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's an accomplishment.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Before we talk about this this birthday celebration. For those
who aren't familiar, what is the radio Talking Book service?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
So we are a free and I stress that word
because a lot of people think they have to pay
for it. It is a free radio reading service for
those who are blind or visually impaired. And what we
do is we provide access to print material that they
otherwise wouldn't be able to read. So we read new
papers and magazines, and now we even do online digital
(02:04):
publications like, for instance, the flat Water Free Press or
the Nebraska Examiner. We've added them to our roster. And
of course, blind people one of the things they always say,
especially those that lose their vision later in life, they
miss being able to read newspapers and print material, and
(02:25):
so we try to fill that void for them.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And it's real people and volunteers doing it as well.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
That is correct. We have volunteers that do all of
our reading for us. We are donor driven and volunteer
based and they come in once a week. We have
the best volunteers ever. They always come in and they
do the reading for us, whether it's a two hour
live read of the Lincoln Journle Star, Omaha World Herald
which is done in tandem, or a thirty minute read
(02:52):
like for instance. We do some interest based programs such
as pet Pause, mystery theater, We do a home and
gardening show, a consumer reports show, so we kind of
run the gambit.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah. I tell you this all the time. When you
need a character for one of your mystery theater programs,
count call me.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
We got you on our short list.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Scott, I would love to do that.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
I'm going to do an audio version of Clue with us.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I've been I could. I want to play Madeline Cohn.
I want to be Madeline.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Madelan Cohn in the Clue movie.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, she says flames on the side of my face.
I want to I love I Love Clue. That's aw Yeah, yep,
and I've been a guest on your program before and
we have.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Indeed, we want to have you again too. It's just
a little hint drop for you.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yes, my my life has not gotten any more interesting
than the last time I was on.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I know it wasn't interesting thing it was. It was
terribly interesting to us. We loved having you.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I mentioned about having real people in there, because in
this world of AI, of artificial intelligence, it's it's pretty
easy to just get a robot to read it, but
that having the live person, knowing the inflection, understanding how
to impart this information in a vocally interesting way, that's
(04:06):
what you guys do best.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Now, I'll tell you what scott AI is getting better
and better, and maybe someday it'll be the undoing of us,
if the collapse of the newspaper industry doesn't come first.
But for now, what we've found in the past twenty
five years, because we have competitors out there that are
artificial based, they have artificial voices. But what we found
(04:28):
is this, particularly middle aged to older people prefer that
human touch, the human voice, even if it's not someone.
And that's something I want to stress for anyone that
might want to volunteer for us. You don't have to
be a commercial audiobook or professional broadcaster quality to come
in and read, as long as you can read out
loud and sound good when you're doing it. And by good,
I mean if you're a teacher, and we have a
(04:49):
lot of teachers that come in and volunteer for us
or ex teachers. If you can read in front of
your kids or a classroom full of kids, or read
a grocery list out loud, then you someone that we
want to talk to.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, it's the human experience exactly. Quite frankly, someone who
sounds great doing a radio commercial, who talks like this
for thirty or maybe sixty seconds, that's a great radio
broadcaster voice for something like that. If you're reading a
twenty minute story, you don't want to hear this voice
talk like this, yep, for twenty minutes at a stretch.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
You know, people don't talk like that. I'll name drop here, Scott.
We've had Tom Becka come in and read for us,
and he's great. He's a wonderful guy. We had to
tell him dial it back just a little bit when
he's reading an article from National Geographic. I mean, I
know you're excited about the you know rhinos in Africa,
but you know chill dude.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, Well to Tom's a little different than the broadcaster
voice I just did for those who remember our good
friend and part of the history of news radio eleven
ten kfab love Tom Beckam Becke. Yeah, he's he gets
excited about everything. So if you want to volunteer to
read for the Radio Talking Book Service, what do they
need to do?
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Right?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
All they need to do is call us number is
four oh two five seven two three zero zero three
to give us a call at the office, or go
to our website that's www dot rtbs dot org. Fill
out a volunteer application. We set you up for an audition.
Cammy is the one that we'll show them through. Cammi Carlisle,
who used to be here. Again, I'm name dropping.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
She's awesome, she's we got her and.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
We're going to keep her. She's our communications director and
she does the volunteer auditions very painless and fun experience.
I also want to mention that we do statewide coverage,
so we don't just do the Omaha Lincoln area. We
cover all of the regional newspapers from Council Bluffs to Scottsbluff.
We carry papers from Carnie, Columbus, Grand Island, North Platte.
(06:42):
We have a southeastern section with Nebraska City and Beatrice
in that area, and we're looking to expand to the
northeastern and northwestern sections as well, so always need more
volunteers for that stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Excellent. Rtbs dot org is the website if people want
to volunteer. And if someone either once for themselves or
for a friend or family member to be able to
hear the radio talking book service, they're like, what station
is it on? That's a little different, right.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
It is a private what I call it is a
private radio station. You have to be a subscriber to listen.
You can't just get into your car or turn on
your radio at home and get it on regular radio
as you would KFAB or kgo R. You actually need
to sign up for our services and then we issue
you either a specialized radio or now we're giving away Alexa.
(07:30):
There's Alexa smart speakers because what we found is for
a lot of people it's easy to use their voice.
If they have difficulty setting up our wireless internet radio,
which can be pretty complicated, they'll find it very easier
much easier to use their voice to work with Alexa
and then they can listen.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
That way.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
You can also get a sense of what we sound like.
On our web page, there is a listen live link
if you'd like to get a sample of.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
What we do RTBS dot org. We're talking with the
program director of the Radio Talking Book Service, Ryan Oza
Tosky with us here on community matters. Okay, this all
leads up to the big fiftieth anniversary celebration. What are
the details for this gala event?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
So we want to celebrate and thank Omaha and celebrate
with them for all that they've done for us and
let us do for them. And so we're going to
congregate on Wednesday, September the eighteenth at Benson Theater from
six to eight thirty pm. We're going to have a
reception with heavy appetizers and some desserts. Thank you very
much High V for providing those. We're going to have
(08:30):
a cash bar there that will provide a free drink ticket,
and we're going to have a program where we're just
going to talk to some people that have allowed OURTBS
to come into existence, including John Fullerton, who is the
son of Craig Fullerton, John was our executive director for
about twenty years. Craig Fullerton was a gentleman that helped
us get founded. One of our earliest directors was a
blind guy named Richard Parker, and his son is going
(08:52):
to be on the schedule. And then we're going to
talk to some current staff and including myself and Cammi
and Becca and Jay Nielsen was an immediate past director.
And we're just gonna kind of have some fun and
talk about memories and help people to eat, drink and
be merry and celebrate radio talking book sounds great.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That's Wednesday, September eighteenth, six to eight thirty pm at
the Benson Theater right there in the heart of Benson
on Maple Street correct sixty thirty ish at sixty third
Benz and Maple Street and Benson. You can't miss and
it's beautiful. I don't know if you haven't been at
the newly remodeled Benson Theater these last couple of years.
(09:30):
It is incredible and a great spot for all of this.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
It is that's why we picked it. We thought it
would be a neat place to kind of come out
with it.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So how do people get a chance to be a
part of that.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
If they want to buy tickets, they can go to
that website again www dot rtbs dot org. You can
buy tickets there and you can also look at our
fifty for fifty fundraiser. We're trying to raise fifty thousand
dollars for fifty years. You can check that out. That
is separate from the gala, so I want to appoint
people to that as well. So plenty of tickets left
(10:01):
and again that's at our website. You could just click
on our fiftieth year link there and that will tell
you what you need to know.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
The Radio Talking Book Service is online at RTBS dot org.
Is in Radio Talking Book Service rtbs dot org. Ryan Asintowski,
program director of the Radio Talking Book Service, love having
you on the program, and congratulations fifty years serving the
blind and visually impaired and people who just like hearing
(10:32):
their news in this way that you're able to provide
for the area. You've been doing that you've been you
haven't been there fifty years.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
I've been there about seven years, and I tell you
this is the best job I've ever had. I can't
tell you what it means to go to work every day,
loving the people I work with, and the mission that
we carry out. It is. It's what I've always wanted.
It's a great I'm the winner, and thank you for
coming here and telling us. Scott, it's a pleasure. Thanks
for having us.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Thank you very much for being with us on community matters.
Up next from League Aid of Nebraska, Ivy Loots joins
us here on the program to talk about something very
important for a lot of very specific workers here throughout
the Midwest, specifically in Nebraska. Ivy, welcome to the program.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Hey, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
You have an opportunity to tell agricultural workers how they
might be able to get some money that has been
set aside for them. But you've got to do something right.
Tell me about this program.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
Absolutely so. Legal Aid of Nebraska, the Agricultural Workers' Rights
Program is helping the USDA reimburse farm and food workers
for working during COVID nineteen. So how this works is
this is a one time, six hundred dollars payment for
(11:50):
any agricultural worker who worked at least one day in
agriculture during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, that is something that a lot of people probably
think them by years ago. I mean a lot of
these workers worked right through twenty twenty twenty twenty one,
and now here we are towards the end of summer
twenty twenty four, this is still there for them.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Absolutely. Agricultural workers come in and out of the United States,
and they move across Nebraska and of course across all
of our states in the United States, and so we
just want to make sure that we can access them
until the money runs out from the USDA.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
That's very nice that this is available. I think probably
these workers think, I, you know, I didn't I didn't
ask for any of this. I was happy to, you know,
keep working and providing for my fellow Nebraskans here. But
we do want them to take advantage of it because
it's kind of used it or lose it. Right, So
how do they go about requesting this six hundred dollars
(12:54):
one time relief payment?
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Yes, of course, so they can't and text or call
our phone number at five three one two zero seven
eight nine one nine. We will help them fill out
an application and then in two to four weeks they
should receive a six hundred dollars reimbursement, either via check
(13:18):
or debit card.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
Very nice.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Let's again give that phone number.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
Please, Yes, that phone number is five three one two
zero seven.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Eight nine one nine five three one two zero seven
eight nine one nine. And if you're rushing to get
a pin and paper, I'll give that again here in
just a few minutes. As far as the eligibility requirements,
as we're talking here with ivy Loots of the Legal
Aid of Nebraska, what are some of the most common
things that someone might be able to get access to.
(13:49):
We're talking about records from a few years ago. I
don't know how many people are keeping some of these
records around this long What are some of the easiest
ways you've found for people to be able to get
what they need to get a payment like this.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, So for proof of employment, we're really looking at
a pay stub that identifies the employer and the individual's name.
It can also be a W two. It could be
a direct deposit into their bank account. It can be
a letter from an employer saying, hey, I worked here
from the twentieth through the thirty first. Any kind of
(14:27):
document that just shows that you were employed in agriculture
will certainly work.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Now let's go over this a little bit more here.
So it has to you had to been employed in
an agricultural role within the United States between January twentieth,
twenty twenty and May eleventh, twenty twenty three. If someone
says I was employed by a few different companies this time,
they're not eligible for multiple payments, right, just one payment? Okay,
(14:57):
that is correct? Yeah, all right. So, and what some
people might think, well, I don't know I did this that.
I don't know if that counts as an agricultural role.
What more specifics could you possibly provide for that?
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Yeah, So, if they worked with any form of livestock,
whether that was feeding animals, caring for animals, hurting animals,
that counts as agriculture. But also if they were working
in the fields picking vegetables or fruits, or irrigating farms,
(15:30):
transporting agricultural goods from point A to point B.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. If you're driving the
truck and transporting it, that counts, right, Potentially, that.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Potentially counts, Yes, absolutely, if that is participating in agriculture.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Okay, I ate a lot of agricultural products during that time.
I don't qualify for this six hundred dollars relief payment, right,
you do?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Not.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Unfortunately, it's just for workers. It's not for managers or owners.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Okay, very good. Where do we do you have any
idea where this came from?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
Ivy?
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Yeah, so this money came from the USDA. It's a
part of the pandemic relief program initiated by Congress during
the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Is there a deadline where someone needs to get this
all done by because we're talking about stuff from a
few years ago.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
So.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
Our program is actually ending on September twenty ninth, So
if people are interested in applying, we recommend that you
do it as.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Absolutely. Now, tell me a little bit more about the
legal aid of Nebraska. Clearly, this is not all you
do there, that is correct.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
This is just a part of our programming. I'm specifically
with the Agworker Rights Program, and this program assists agricultural
workers who need a help asserting their employment rights. And
we try to make sure that ag workers are paid
appropriately when it's owed to them. We ensure that they're working,
cans are safe, and we try to address harassment and
(17:03):
discrimination in the workplace.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
That's got to be a really fulfilling job for you.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Yes, it is. I've worked really hard to get where
I am today, and I was born and raised in Nebraska.
My grandpa was a cowboy, and so it's really important
to me that I serve workers who need my help.
Most we do find that sometimes employers don't appropriately appropriately
pay their employees, either in a timely fashion or not
(17:32):
at all, and so we're here to advocate on their
behalf and make sure that you know they can continue
working in the state of Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Is there a website where people can reach out and
learn more about all of these things? Ivy.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
Absolutely, they can reach out to legallyd Nebraska dot org.
On that page there.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Is that legal is that Legal Aid of Nebraska dot order,
Legal Aid Nebraska dot org?
Speaker 6 (18:03):
That is Legal Aid of Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Okay dot org? Got it? Okay? And there's probably lots
of menus. If this then click here that kind of thing.
It's or phone number is available there to reach out
and reach either you or someone else with Legal Aid
of Nebraska.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
Absolutely, so we on that page. It provides all the
resources that we can help with everything from addictions to
bankruptcy to protection orders. And there's also an access line
so you can definitely call from help for help wherever
you are located in the state.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Okay, Legal Aid of Nebraska dot org. And again Ivy
Looots has been with us. You're talking about this Agricultural
Workers Right Program, six hundred dollars reimbursements to ag workers
through the USDA and the Food Worker Relief Grant program.
To be eligible once again, you had to have been
employed in an agriculture roll within the United States between
(19:02):
January twentieth, twenty twenty and May eleventh, twenty twenty three.
And here's the phone number you can you said text
you can call or text this number right, the five
three one number. Thanks, okay, and that number again is
five three one two zero seven eight nine one nine.
Hurry up because this has to be done by September
(19:23):
twenty ninth, so just days left to get this taken
care of. For more information, just to see if you're eligible.
It never hurts to ask call or text five to
three one two zero seven eight nine one nine. Ivy
Loots with Legal Aid of Nebraska again online at Legal
Aid off Nebraska dot org. Valuable information. Thank you so
(19:44):
much for what you do, and thanks for telling us
about it here on community matters of course.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Thank you for being with us on community matters this
week on this iHeartMedia Omaha Radio station. An important commemoration
later this week, and for more on these significance of
this day and some good that has come out of
a tragic event, we turned things over to my iHeartRadio
cohort Ryan Gorman with more.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I'm joined by David Payne, president and co founder of
nine to eleven Day. This Wednesday, September eleventh is the
nine to eleven Day of Service, which you can learn
more about at nine eleven Day dot org. That's nine
one one day dot org. David, thank you so much
for joining me once again ahead of another anniversary of
a day I know you remember very well, and let's
(20:30):
start there what you experienced on that faithful day twenty
three years ago.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
Yeah, like a lot of Americans, you know, I woke
up that morning expecting it would just be another day,
and of course it wasn't you know. I got a
phone call from a friend of mine who said turn
on the TV. Like many Americans, and then for the
next you know, days, hours and you know, hours, days
and weeks, I was excluded to the TV and watched
the horror unfold and for me. It was it was
(20:56):
personal because I had grown up in New York City.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
I had a.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
Many family and friends there. Although I wasn't in New
York at the time. My own brother was in the
building directly across the way, and he witnessed the second
planes slamming into the World Trade Center tower, and as
he was evacuating the area.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
He saw people jumping from the buildings.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
It was obviously a horrible experience for everyone in the
country and around the world. And a very good friend
of mine, Jay Winnick, his fortunes, unfortunately, were different. His
brother Glenn, who was an attorney at Holland and Knight
but a volunteer firefighter, was lost in the collapse of
(21:35):
the World Trade Center South Tower, and very shortly thereafter,
Jane and I got together and we looked at each other,
I think, like a lot of people, and we said,
you know, how do we make sure that something good
comes from this horrible tragedy.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
How do we take the day back so that the
terrorists wouldn't fare our own nine to eleven?
Speaker 7 (21:54):
And at the time we were inspired by the way Americans,
you know, weren't Red states, these states, you know, we
were just human beings helping one one another, and that
spirit of unity was so palpable, so remarkable, that we
decided that the best way to pay tribute would be
to try to at least create one day out of
the year, you know, that's that sense of togetherness and
(22:16):
encourage people from all around the nation to join together
in unity and spend the day helping others in need.
And that was sort of the inspiration and what led
to ultimately what is now nine eleven Day, the largest
data service in the country.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
There's so much too unmpact from what you just discussed.
Let me start for those who don't remember that day,
weren't alive on September eleven, two thousand and one, don't
quite understand the trauma that we experienced as a country.
What more can you tell us about those conversations you
(22:49):
had with your brother who was there and saw that
horror firsthand and lived to tell the story.
Speaker 7 (22:58):
You know, my brother, you know, until Humpy relatively recently,
always says to me that he tries to tell himself
that what he saw was just debris.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
And I had other friends that.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
Were potentially killed, and you know, escaped from that area
as well. I had a very good friend of mine
who was was just like a lot of people, just
watching in horror, you know, only a few hundred yards
away from the tower when it suddenly began to collapse,
and she ran for her life, and she said she
(23:39):
would have been consumed by this, you know, this tsunami
of debris, if not for a stranger grabbing her by
the jacket and pulling her into a store flat front
at the last minute.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
And I think for the what is it now, one
hundred million Americans that have been born since the nine
to eleven tragedy, almost a third of the country. You know,
they don't understand what that felt like, not just the
tragedy itself, the horror of it, but you know what
our country was like in the weeks afterwards, when we
were still wondering if there was going to be another
(24:12):
terrorist attack or an anthrax attack, and there were constantly,
you know, the evacuations and the fear that I think,
you know, gripped our nation was something that I think
all of us will never forget. But out of that
was this extraordinary moment of goodness at the exact same time,
(24:35):
and you know, all of a sudden, we were all
just neighbors, and I remember walking to you know, to
my grocery store, and people I didn't you know, I
didn't even know.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
We'd look at each other and we had an immediate
connection based on what we had all experienced.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
And what it taught me, I think more than anything else.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
And I think this is somewhat ironic to say, but
it taught me that that fundamentally we all really love
and care about one another, despite the terrible things we
do to each other. Nine to eleven sort of demonstrated
that there was this innate goodness in all of us,
and it just surfaced almost immediately, and it brought us
all together. And you know, when I think about how
(25:13):
you know, divided we seem to be in the country today,
in this election year, it reminds me that that's a
myth in some respects, it's just a perception of thought,
when in reality, deep inside, we're deeply unified and always
will be.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
How did the idea of a day of service come together?
Speaker 5 (25:33):
Yeah, I think it kind of just presented itself to us.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
You know, it was obvious because that's how our nation
was responding to the tragedy itself. We were all unified.
We were all anxious to help. People were shipping teddy bears,
they were showing up to try to donate blood. There
were all these spontaneous volunteers that appeared in New York
City from all around the nation, you know, from Kentucky
and Nashville, Wisconsin, all these.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
Folks that just want to figure out a way to
volunteer to help.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
And I think that was essentially what nine to eleven Day,
you know, is and became. It was merely a sort
of recreation of the innate sort of sense of unity
and goodness that we all share. But it's a bit
it's intended to be a bit of a reminder so
that each nine to eleven we recognize that it's important
(26:19):
for us to stop as human beings in our daily
lives and remember it's what's most important, you know, it's
really each other in our families and being kind and
trying to help the world, try to make things a
little better for everybody. And so the inspiration really came
from just the way we all responded to the tragedy itself.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
You know.
Speaker 7 (26:38):
And then of course it's one thing to have an
idea and it's another thing to actually accomplish it. And
I think that was one of the things that Jay
and I learned that, you know, it's a lot more
difficult than you think to take something an idea like
that and actually turn it into something like what it
is today, the largest data service in the country.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
That that was a big challenge.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
It's that sense of service that it's such a great
reminder every year that that is still part of this
country and it's so important for us to go back
to that and for younger generations to feel that as well.
Speaker 7 (27:18):
And I think it's an important reminder that we can
have our differences of opinion, and in fact we're going
to I.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Mean, there are billions of people, you know, on the planet.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
You know, we we share this place with them, and
each and every one of us we're born into a
different experience, in a different life and a different family
with whatever you know goes on in our lives and
the trauma and the teachings and all those things, and
so naturally they are going to be If there are
billions of people in the world, there are going to
be billions of different perspectives, and in fact, that's sort
(27:51):
of what is so I think magical and remarkable and
beautiful about you know, our experience on the planet here,
diversity is what we are.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
How can everyone listening support the work you're doing with
nine to eleven Day? What are some different ways that
whether it's an individual listening right now or someone who
owns a company, what are the different things they can
do to continue to support this work each year?
Speaker 7 (28:16):
Well, you know, even though our program touches a lot
of people and has grown to the degree that it has,
we're still a relatively small nonprofit, you know, on a
modest budget, and certainly to the degree that people are interested.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
In helping us out, they can go to nine to
eleven Day dot.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Org and make a donation of just eleven bucks, you know,
to help kind of keep our lights on and help
us organize the projects.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
That we are.
Speaker 7 (28:43):
Planning to stage as we move forward. You know, keep
in mind that in just two years will all be
observing the twenty fifth anniversary of nine to eleven in
twenty twenty six, so we're already gearing up for that.
So if anybody wants to help and they'd like to
make a donation to us, please go to nine to
eleven Day dot org and make a contribution.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
That would be a great help all right.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
President and co founder of nine to eleven Day, David
Payne with us to talk about the nine eleven Day
of Service again coming up this Wednesday. You can learn
more and support all the tremendous work they're doing it
nine eleven Day dot org. That's nine one one day
dot org.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
David.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
I want to thank you so much for coming back
on the show. It's always great to have you on.
Best of luck with nine eleven Day of Service this Wednesday,
and we look forward to talking to you again soon.
Speaker 5 (29:32):
Thanks again, Ryan.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three, Omaha's Greatest Hits, ninety nine
point nine kg R News Radio, eleven ten KFAB, Country's
Greatest Hits ninety three three The Wolf, and ninety six
one Kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening, and
enjoy the rest of your day.
This is Community Matters, a weekly public affairs program to
inform and entertain you with some of the great people, organizations,
and events in and around Omaha. Now here's the host
of the program from News Radio eleven ten kfab It's
Scott for Heats.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you so much for being a part of our program.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This week.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
There is a wonderful fiftieth anniversary celebration coming up for
one of the most important media outlets in town, the
Radio Talking Book Service, and we welcome back to Community Matters.
The program director for Radio Talking Book Service, Ryan Ozenowski,
is back here. Ryan, welcome back to hey Scott. Great
to see again, buddy. Yeah, fifty years of this, congratulations.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
We are very proud of being around for fifty years.
We started on September third of nineteen seventy four, so
you and I are recording this on our birthday. Yes,
So I forgot to mention that I know you would
have had cake for me if I had been here,
and of course Cammy's a big fan of cake. But
we're so happy to be a part of Omaha and
(01:08):
to be a voice for the blind and visually impaired.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, well, you know, we on News Radio eleven ten
KFAB one of the stations that host community matters here.
We turn one hundred this year. But we think you
kids and your fifty year old radio group there, that's
just adorable.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
But we're very good company. We're in very good company too.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
That's no, that's awesome. Fifty years of doing anything is
impressive any more, five years of doing anything is pretty impressive.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
That's an accomplishment.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Before we talk about this this birthday celebration. For those
who aren't familiar, what is the radio Talking Book service?
Speaker 4 (01:42):
So we are a free and I stress that word
because a lot of people think they have to pay
for it. It is a free radio reading service for
those who are blind or visually impaired. And what we
do is we provide access to print material that they
otherwise wouldn't be able to read. So we read new
papers and magazines, and now we even do online digital
(02:04):
publications like, for instance, the flat Water Free Press or
the Nebraska Examiner. We've added them to our roster. And
of course, blind people one of the things they always say,
especially those that lose their vision later in life, they
miss being able to read newspapers and print material, and
(02:25):
so we try to fill that void for them.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And it's real people and volunteers doing it as well.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
That is correct. We have volunteers that do all of
our reading for us. We are donor driven and volunteer
based and they come in once a week. We have
the best volunteers ever. They always come in and they
do the reading for us, whether it's a two hour
live read of the Lincoln Journle Star, Omaha World Herald
which is done in tandem, or a thirty minute read
(02:52):
like for instance. We do some interest based programs such
as pet Pause, mystery theater, We do a home and
gardening show, a consumer reports show, so we kind of
run the gambit.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah. I tell you this all the time. When you
need a character for one of your mystery theater programs,
count call me.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
We got you on our short list.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Scott, I would love to do that.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
I'm going to do an audio version of Clue with us.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I've been I could. I want to play Madeline Cohn.
I want to be Madeline.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Madelan Cohn in the Clue movie.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, she says flames on the side of my face.
I want to I love I Love Clue. That's aw Yeah, yep,
and I've been a guest on your program before and
we have.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Indeed, we want to have you again too. It's just
a little hint drop for you.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Yes, my my life has not gotten any more interesting
than the last time I was on.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
I know it wasn't interesting thing it was. It was
terribly interesting to us. We loved having you.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
I mentioned about having real people in there, because in
this world of AI, of artificial intelligence, it's it's pretty
easy to just get a robot to read it, but
that having the live person, knowing the inflection, understanding how
to impart this information in a vocally interesting way, that's
(04:06):
what you guys do best.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Now, I'll tell you what scott AI is getting better
and better, and maybe someday it'll be the undoing of us,
if the collapse of the newspaper industry doesn't come first.
But for now, what we've found in the past twenty
five years, because we have competitors out there that are
artificial based, they have artificial voices. But what we found
(04:28):
is this, particularly middle aged to older people prefer that
human touch, the human voice, even if it's not someone.
And that's something I want to stress for anyone that
might want to volunteer for us. You don't have to
be a commercial audiobook or professional broadcaster quality to come
in and read, as long as you can read out
loud and sound good when you're doing it. And by good,
I mean if you're a teacher, and we have a
(04:49):
lot of teachers that come in and volunteer for us
or ex teachers. If you can read in front of
your kids or a classroom full of kids, or read
a grocery list out loud, then you someone that we
want to talk to.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, it's the human experience exactly. Quite frankly, someone who
sounds great doing a radio commercial, who talks like this
for thirty or maybe sixty seconds, that's a great radio
broadcaster voice for something like that. If you're reading a
twenty minute story, you don't want to hear this voice
talk like this, yep, for twenty minutes at a stretch.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
You know, people don't talk like that. I'll name drop here, Scott.
We've had Tom Becka come in and read for us,
and he's great. He's a wonderful guy. We had to
tell him dial it back just a little bit when
he's reading an article from National Geographic. I mean, I
know you're excited about the you know rhinos in Africa,
but you know chill dude.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, Well to Tom's a little different than the broadcaster
voice I just did for those who remember our good
friend and part of the history of news radio eleven
ten kfab love Tom Beckam Becke. Yeah, he's he gets
excited about everything. So if you want to volunteer to
read for the Radio Talking Book Service, what do they
need to do?
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Right?
Speaker 4 (05:58):
All they need to do is call us number is
four oh two five seven two three zero zero three
to give us a call at the office, or go
to our website that's www dot rtbs dot org. Fill
out a volunteer application. We set you up for an audition.
Cammy is the one that we'll show them through. Cammi Carlisle,
who used to be here. Again, I'm name dropping.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
She's awesome, she's we got her and.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
We're going to keep her. She's our communications director and
she does the volunteer auditions very painless and fun experience.
I also want to mention that we do statewide coverage,
so we don't just do the Omaha Lincoln area. We
cover all of the regional newspapers from Council Bluffs to Scottsbluff.
We carry papers from Carnie, Columbus, Grand Island, North Platte.
(06:42):
We have a southeastern section with Nebraska City and Beatrice
in that area, and we're looking to expand to the
northeastern and northwestern sections as well, so always need more
volunteers for that stuff.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Excellent. Rtbs dot org is the website if people want
to volunteer. And if someone either once for themselves or
for a friend or family member to be able to
hear the radio talking book service, they're like, what station
is it on? That's a little different, right.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
It is a private what I call it is a
private radio station. You have to be a subscriber to listen.
You can't just get into your car or turn on
your radio at home and get it on regular radio
as you would KFAB or kgo R. You actually need
to sign up for our services and then we issue
you either a specialized radio or now we're giving away Alexa.
(07:30):
There's Alexa smart speakers because what we found is for
a lot of people it's easy to use their voice.
If they have difficulty setting up our wireless internet radio,
which can be pretty complicated, they'll find it very easier
much easier to use their voice to work with Alexa
and then they can listen.
Speaker 5 (07:46):
That way.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
You can also get a sense of what we sound like.
On our web page, there is a listen live link
if you'd like to get a sample of.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
What we do RTBS dot org. We're talking with the
program director of the Radio Talking Book Service, Ryan Oza
Tosky with us here on community matters. Okay, this all
leads up to the big fiftieth anniversary celebration. What are
the details for this gala event?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
So we want to celebrate and thank Omaha and celebrate
with them for all that they've done for us and
let us do for them. And so we're going to
congregate on Wednesday, September the eighteenth at Benson Theater from
six to eight thirty pm. We're going to have a
reception with heavy appetizers and some desserts. Thank you very
much High V for providing those. We're going to have
(08:30):
a cash bar there that will provide a free drink ticket,
and we're going to have a program where we're just
going to talk to some people that have allowed OURTBS
to come into existence, including John Fullerton, who is the
son of Craig Fullerton, John was our executive director for
about twenty years. Craig Fullerton was a gentleman that helped
us get founded. One of our earliest directors was a
blind guy named Richard Parker, and his son is going
(08:52):
to be on the schedule. And then we're going to
talk to some current staff and including myself and Cammi
and Becca and Jay Nielsen was an immediate past director.
And we're just gonna kind of have some fun and
talk about memories and help people to eat, drink and
be merry and celebrate radio talking book sounds great.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That's Wednesday, September eighteenth, six to eight thirty pm at
the Benson Theater right there in the heart of Benson
on Maple Street correct sixty thirty ish at sixty third
Benz and Maple Street and Benson. You can't miss and
it's beautiful. I don't know if you haven't been at
the newly remodeled Benson Theater these last couple of years.
(09:30):
It is incredible and a great spot for all of this.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
It is that's why we picked it. We thought it
would be a neat place to kind of come out
with it.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So how do people get a chance to be a
part of that.
Speaker 4 (09:40):
If they want to buy tickets, they can go to
that website again www dot rtbs dot org. You can
buy tickets there and you can also look at our
fifty for fifty fundraiser. We're trying to raise fifty thousand
dollars for fifty years. You can check that out. That
is separate from the gala, so I want to appoint
people to that as well. So plenty of tickets left
(10:01):
and again that's at our website. You could just click
on our fiftieth year link there and that will tell
you what you need to know.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
The Radio Talking Book Service is online at RTBS dot org.
Is in Radio Talking Book Service rtbs dot org. Ryan Asintowski,
program director of the Radio Talking Book Service, love having
you on the program, and congratulations fifty years serving the
blind and visually impaired and people who just like hearing
(10:32):
their news in this way that you're able to provide
for the area. You've been doing that you've been you
haven't been there fifty years.
Speaker 4 (10:38):
I've been there about seven years, and I tell you
this is the best job I've ever had. I can't
tell you what it means to go to work every day,
loving the people I work with, and the mission that
we carry out. It is. It's what I've always wanted.
It's a great I'm the winner, and thank you for
coming here and telling us. Scott, it's a pleasure. Thanks
for having us.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Thank you very much for being with us on community matters.
Up next from League Aid of Nebraska, Ivy Loots joins
us here on the program to talk about something very
important for a lot of very specific workers here throughout
the Midwest, specifically in Nebraska. Ivy, welcome to the program.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Hey, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
You have an opportunity to tell agricultural workers how they
might be able to get some money that has been
set aside for them. But you've got to do something right.
Tell me about this program.
Speaker 6 (11:28):
Absolutely so. Legal Aid of Nebraska, the Agricultural Workers' Rights
Program is helping the USDA reimburse farm and food workers
for working during COVID nineteen. So how this works is
this is a one time, six hundred dollars payment for
(11:50):
any agricultural worker who worked at least one day in
agriculture during the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, that is something that a lot of people probably
think them by years ago. I mean a lot of
these workers worked right through twenty twenty twenty twenty one,
and now here we are towards the end of summer
twenty twenty four, this is still there for them.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Absolutely. Agricultural workers come in and out of the United States,
and they move across Nebraska and of course across all
of our states in the United States, and so we
just want to make sure that we can access them
until the money runs out from the USDA.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
That's very nice that this is available. I think probably
these workers think, I, you know, I didn't I didn't
ask for any of this. I was happy to, you know,
keep working and providing for my fellow Nebraskans here. But
we do want them to take advantage of it because
it's kind of used it or lose it. Right, So
how do they go about requesting this six hundred dollars
(12:54):
one time relief payment?
Speaker 6 (12:56):
Yes, of course, so they can't and text or call
our phone number at five three one two zero seven
eight nine one nine. We will help them fill out
an application and then in two to four weeks they
should receive a six hundred dollars reimbursement, either via check
(13:18):
or debit card.
Speaker 5 (13:19):
Very nice.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Let's again give that phone number.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
Please, Yes, that phone number is five three one two
zero seven.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Eight nine one nine five three one two zero seven
eight nine one nine. And if you're rushing to get
a pin and paper, I'll give that again here in
just a few minutes. As far as the eligibility requirements,
as we're talking here with ivy Loots of the Legal
Aid of Nebraska, what are some of the most common
things that someone might be able to get access to.
(13:49):
We're talking about records from a few years ago. I
don't know how many people are keeping some of these
records around this long What are some of the easiest
ways you've found for people to be able to get
what they need to get a payment like this.
Speaker 6 (14:02):
Yeah, So for proof of employment, we're really looking at
a pay stub that identifies the employer and the individual's name.
It can also be a W two. It could be
a direct deposit into their bank account. It can be
a letter from an employer saying, hey, I worked here
from the twentieth through the thirty first. Any kind of
(14:27):
document that just shows that you were employed in agriculture
will certainly work.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Now let's go over this a little bit more here.
So it has to you had to been employed in
an agricultural role within the United States between January twentieth,
twenty twenty and May eleventh, twenty twenty three. If someone
says I was employed by a few different companies this time,
they're not eligible for multiple payments, right, just one payment? Okay,
(14:57):
that is correct? Yeah, all right. So, and what some
people might think, well, I don't know I did this that.
I don't know if that counts as an agricultural role.
What more specifics could you possibly provide for that?
Speaker 6 (15:09):
Yeah, So, if they worked with any form of livestock,
whether that was feeding animals, caring for animals, hurting animals,
that counts as agriculture. But also if they were working
in the fields picking vegetables or fruits, or irrigating farms,
(15:30):
transporting agricultural goods from point A to point B.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Yeah, that's what I was wondering. If you're driving the
truck and transporting it, that counts, right, Potentially, that.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Potentially counts, Yes, absolutely, if that is participating in agriculture.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Okay, I ate a lot of agricultural products during that time.
I don't qualify for this six hundred dollars relief payment, right,
you do?
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Not.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Unfortunately, it's just for workers. It's not for managers or owners.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Okay, very good. Where do we do you have any
idea where this came from?
Speaker 5 (16:01):
Ivy?
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Yeah, so this money came from the USDA. It's a
part of the pandemic relief program initiated by Congress during
the pandemic.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Is there a deadline where someone needs to get this
all done by because we're talking about stuff from a
few years ago.
Speaker 6 (16:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
So.
Speaker 6 (16:21):
Our program is actually ending on September twenty ninth, So
if people are interested in applying, we recommend that you
do it as.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
Soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Absolutely. Now, tell me a little bit more about the
legal aid of Nebraska. Clearly, this is not all you
do there, that is correct.
Speaker 6 (16:39):
This is just a part of our programming. I'm specifically
with the Agworker Rights Program, and this program assists agricultural
workers who need a help asserting their employment rights. And
we try to make sure that ag workers are paid
appropriately when it's owed to them. We ensure that they're working,
cans are safe, and we try to address harassment and
(17:03):
discrimination in the workplace.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
That's got to be a really fulfilling job for you.
Speaker 6 (17:07):
Yes, it is. I've worked really hard to get where
I am today, and I was born and raised in Nebraska.
My grandpa was a cowboy, and so it's really important
to me that I serve workers who need my help.
Most we do find that sometimes employers don't appropriately appropriately
pay their employees, either in a timely fashion or not
(17:32):
at all, and so we're here to advocate on their
behalf and make sure that you know they can continue
working in the state of Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Is there a website where people can reach out and
learn more about all of these things? Ivy.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
Absolutely, they can reach out to legallyd Nebraska dot org.
On that page there.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Is that legal is that Legal Aid of Nebraska dot order,
Legal Aid Nebraska dot org?
Speaker 6 (18:03):
That is Legal Aid of Nebraska.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Okay dot org? Got it? Okay? And there's probably lots
of menus. If this then click here that kind of thing.
It's or phone number is available there to reach out
and reach either you or someone else with Legal Aid
of Nebraska.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
Absolutely, so we on that page. It provides all the
resources that we can help with everything from addictions to
bankruptcy to protection orders. And there's also an access line
so you can definitely call from help for help wherever
you are located in the state.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Okay, Legal Aid of Nebraska dot org. And again Ivy
Looots has been with us. You're talking about this Agricultural
Workers Right Program, six hundred dollars reimbursements to ag workers
through the USDA and the Food Worker Relief Grant program.
To be eligible once again, you had to have been
employed in an agriculture roll within the United States between
(19:02):
January twentieth, twenty twenty and May eleventh, twenty twenty three.
And here's the phone number you can you said text
you can call or text this number right, the five
three one number. Thanks, okay, and that number again is
five three one two zero seven eight nine one nine.
Hurry up because this has to be done by September
(19:23):
twenty ninth, so just days left to get this taken
care of. For more information, just to see if you're eligible.
It never hurts to ask call or text five to
three one two zero seven eight nine one nine. Ivy
Loots with Legal Aid of Nebraska again online at Legal
Aid off Nebraska dot org. Valuable information. Thank you so
(19:44):
much for what you do, and thanks for telling us
about it here on community matters of course.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Thank you for having us.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Thank you for being with us on community matters this
week on this iHeartMedia Omaha Radio station. An important commemoration
later this week, and for more on these significance of
this day and some good that has come out of
a tragic event, we turned things over to my iHeartRadio
cohort Ryan Gorman with more.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
I'm joined by David Payne, president and co founder of
nine to eleven Day. This Wednesday, September eleventh is the
nine to eleven Day of Service, which you can learn
more about at nine eleven Day dot org. That's nine
one one day dot org. David, thank you so much
for joining me once again ahead of another anniversary of
a day I know you remember very well, and let's
(20:30):
start there what you experienced on that faithful day twenty
three years ago.
Speaker 7 (20:35):
Yeah, like a lot of Americans, you know, I woke
up that morning expecting it would just be another day,
and of course it wasn't you know. I got a
phone call from a friend of mine who said turn
on the TV. Like many Americans, and then for the
next you know, days, hours and you know, hours, days
and weeks, I was excluded to the TV and watched
the horror unfold and for me. It was it was
(20:56):
personal because I had grown up in New York City.
Speaker 5 (20:58):
I had a.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
Many family and friends there. Although I wasn't in New
York at the time. My own brother was in the
building directly across the way, and he witnessed the second
planes slamming into the World Trade Center tower, and as
he was evacuating the area.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
He saw people jumping from the buildings.
Speaker 7 (21:15):
It was obviously a horrible experience for everyone in the
country and around the world. And a very good friend
of mine, Jay Winnick, his fortunes, unfortunately, were different. His
brother Glenn, who was an attorney at Holland and Knight
but a volunteer firefighter, was lost in the collapse of
(21:35):
the World Trade Center South Tower, and very shortly thereafter,
Jane and I got together and we looked at each other,
I think, like a lot of people, and we said,
you know, how do we make sure that something good
comes from this horrible tragedy.
Speaker 5 (21:49):
How do we take the day back so that the
terrorists wouldn't fare our own nine to eleven?
Speaker 7 (21:54):
And at the time we were inspired by the way Americans,
you know, weren't Red states, these states, you know, we
were just human beings helping one one another, and that
spirit of unity was so palpable, so remarkable, that we
decided that the best way to pay tribute would be
to try to at least create one day out of
the year, you know, that's that sense of togetherness and
(22:16):
encourage people from all around the nation to join together
in unity and spend the day helping others in need.
And that was sort of the inspiration and what led
to ultimately what is now nine eleven Day, the largest
data service in the country.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
There's so much too unmpact from what you just discussed.
Let me start for those who don't remember that day,
weren't alive on September eleven, two thousand and one, don't
quite understand the trauma that we experienced as a country.
What more can you tell us about those conversations you
(22:49):
had with your brother who was there and saw that
horror firsthand and lived to tell the story.
Speaker 7 (22:58):
You know, my brother, you know, until Humpy relatively recently,
always says to me that he tries to tell himself
that what he saw was just debris.
Speaker 5 (23:12):
And I had other friends that.
Speaker 7 (23:16):
Were potentially killed, and you know, escaped from that area
as well. I had a very good friend of mine
who was was just like a lot of people, just
watching in horror, you know, only a few hundred yards
away from the tower when it suddenly began to collapse,
and she ran for her life, and she said she
(23:39):
would have been consumed by this, you know, this tsunami
of debris, if not for a stranger grabbing her by
the jacket and pulling her into a store flat front
at the last minute.
Speaker 5 (23:51):
And I think for the what is it now, one
hundred million Americans that have been born since the nine
to eleven tragedy, almost a third of the country. You know,
they don't understand what that felt like, not just the
tragedy itself, the horror of it, but you know what
our country was like in the weeks afterwards, when we
were still wondering if there was going to be another
(24:12):
terrorist attack or an anthrax attack, and there were constantly,
you know, the evacuations and the fear that I think,
you know, gripped our nation was something that I think
all of us will never forget. But out of that
was this extraordinary moment of goodness at the exact same time,
(24:35):
and you know, all of a sudden, we were all
just neighbors, and I remember walking to you know, to
my grocery store, and people I didn't you know, I
didn't even know.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
We'd look at each other and we had an immediate
connection based on what we had all experienced.
Speaker 5 (24:49):
And what it taught me, I think more than anything else.
Speaker 7 (24:52):
And I think this is somewhat ironic to say, but
it taught me that that fundamentally we all really love
and care about one another, despite the terrible things we
do to each other. Nine to eleven sort of demonstrated
that there was this innate goodness in all of us,
and it just surfaced almost immediately, and it brought us
all together. And you know, when I think about how
(25:13):
you know, divided we seem to be in the country today,
in this election year, it reminds me that that's a
myth in some respects, it's just a perception of thought,
when in reality, deep inside, we're deeply unified and always
will be.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
How did the idea of a day of service come together?
Speaker 5 (25:33):
Yeah, I think it kind of just presented itself to us.
Speaker 7 (25:36):
You know, it was obvious because that's how our nation
was responding to the tragedy itself. We were all unified.
We were all anxious to help. People were shipping teddy bears,
they were showing up to try to donate blood. There
were all these spontaneous volunteers that appeared in New York
City from all around the nation, you know, from Kentucky
and Nashville, Wisconsin, all these.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
Folks that just want to figure out a way to
volunteer to help.
Speaker 7 (25:58):
And I think that was essentially what nine to eleven Day,
you know, is and became. It was merely a sort
of recreation of the innate sort of sense of unity
and goodness that we all share. But it's a bit
it's intended to be a bit of a reminder so
that each nine to eleven we recognize that it's important
(26:19):
for us to stop as human beings in our daily
lives and remember it's what's most important, you know, it's
really each other in our families and being kind and
trying to help the world, try to make things a
little better for everybody. And so the inspiration really came
from just the way we all responded to the tragedy itself.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
You know.
Speaker 7 (26:38):
And then of course it's one thing to have an
idea and it's another thing to actually accomplish it. And
I think that was one of the things that Jay
and I learned that, you know, it's a lot more
difficult than you think to take something an idea like
that and actually turn it into something like what it
is today, the largest data service in the country.
Speaker 5 (26:58):
That that was a big challenge.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
It's that sense of service that it's such a great
reminder every year that that is still part of this
country and it's so important for us to go back
to that and for younger generations to feel that as well.
Speaker 7 (27:18):
And I think it's an important reminder that we can
have our differences of opinion, and in fact we're going
to I.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Mean, there are billions of people, you know, on the planet.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
You know, we we share this place with them, and
each and every one of us we're born into a
different experience, in a different life and a different family
with whatever you know goes on in our lives and
the trauma and the teachings and all those things, and
so naturally they are going to be If there are
billions of people in the world, there are going to
be billions of different perspectives, and in fact, that's sort
(27:51):
of what is so I think magical and remarkable and
beautiful about you know, our experience on the planet here,
diversity is what we are.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
How can everyone listening support the work you're doing with
nine to eleven Day? What are some different ways that
whether it's an individual listening right now or someone who
owns a company, what are the different things they can
do to continue to support this work each year?
Speaker 7 (28:16):
Well, you know, even though our program touches a lot
of people and has grown to the degree that it has,
we're still a relatively small nonprofit, you know, on a
modest budget, and certainly to the degree that people are interested.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
In helping us out, they can go to nine to
eleven Day dot.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Org and make a donation of just eleven bucks, you know,
to help kind of keep our lights on and help
us organize the projects.
Speaker 5 (28:41):
That we are.
Speaker 7 (28:43):
Planning to stage as we move forward. You know, keep
in mind that in just two years will all be
observing the twenty fifth anniversary of nine to eleven in
twenty twenty six, so we're already gearing up for that.
So if anybody wants to help and they'd like to
make a donation to us, please go to nine to
eleven Day dot org and make a contribution.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
That would be a great help all right.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
President and co founder of nine to eleven Day, David
Payne with us to talk about the nine eleven Day
of Service again coming up this Wednesday. You can learn
more and support all the tremendous work they're doing it
nine eleven Day dot org. That's nine one one day
dot org.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
David.
Speaker 3 (29:22):
I want to thank you so much for coming back
on the show. It's always great to have you on.
Best of luck with nine eleven Day of Service this Wednesday,
and we look forward to talking to you again soon.
Speaker 5 (29:32):
Thanks again, Ryan.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
This has been Community Matters, a weekly public affairs special
on CAT one O three, Omaha's Greatest Hits, ninety nine
point nine kg R News Radio, eleven ten KFAB, Country's
Greatest Hits ninety three three The Wolf, and ninety six
one Kiss FM. Thank you so much for listening, and
enjoy the rest of your day.
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