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NEIGHBORS

West Valley service adds three new volunteers

Posted 6/7/21

Recorded Recreational Reading for the Blind and The West Valley Talking News have added several new volunteers.

Pat Centner is director of development for RRRB.

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NEIGHBORS

West Valley service adds three new volunteers

Posted

Recorded Recreational Reading for the Blind and The West Valley Talking News have added several new volunteers.

Pat Centner is director of development for RRRB. She loves people, takes pleasure in helping others and enjoys expressive reading, so she views RRRB as a perfect fit.
Ms. Centner has been in Arizona most of her life, having moved from Mississippi to Flagstaff as a child. She later married there and ran a jewelry store alongside her now deceased husband. She also became mother to five stepsons. Her entire work career has centered in some way around public relations.

After moving to Phoenix, she advanced from secretary to vice president of communications and public relations at a local religious foundation. She also served as a staff writer, fund raiser, graphic designer and event planner for three charitable organizations.

These days, Ms. Centner is involved as a volunteer at her local church, where she heads the PR team, designs promo ads and writes articles and press releases for local newspapers. She is also a soloist in her church choir.

Gary Cohen hosts the Valley Volunteers Today program on KRUV Radio Sun.

Born and raised in New York City, Mr. Cohen has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and experience as producer, editor, writer and correspondent at a variety of radio stations in New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and West Palm Beach, Florida, where he gave live reports on hurricanes and covered presidential visits.

Mr. Cohen and his wife, Enid, moved to Sun City West in 2018 and since that time has been involved on the air at KSCW Radio. They are both avid readers and love live theater, a love that has led them to travel to England and France as well as several cross country car trips.

Mr. Cohen brings his 40 years of radio experience to RRRB along with his influence as part of the Sun City West Broadcast Club and the Sun City West Foundation.

Thom O’Grady is programming and conducting interviews on radio station KRUV Radio Sun, having learned about RRRB through an April 2021 article in The Sun City Independent.

Mr. O’Grady is from Southeastern Massachusetts and has spent most of his life there, except for a short time in Pennsylvania and Arizona. He is an avid fan of all Boston sports teams, especially the Red Sox and Patriots. He spent almost 20 years in all phases of radio and then cable television programming across five states. His on-air experience includes news reporter/anchor, top 40 DJ, sports play-by-play and radio and television talk show host.

Behind the scenes, Mr. O’Grady was an executive news editor, talk show producer, program director and voiceover talent. In addition, he spent more than 25 years in all phases of corporate communications - internal and executive communications, media relations and public relations. He and his wife, Denise, moved to Sun City West in 2019 and their blended family includes five children and five grandchildren.