The C.W. Post radio station was looking to expand its listenership to include an older audience.
The Town of North Hempstead was looking for a low-power radio station to transmit information about Project Independence, a program that provides outreach services to enable senior residents to remain in their homes.
The result is a public voice for Project Independence on a weekly radio show broadcast by the C.W. Post radio station.
“They were interested in expanding their listenership to include older listeners. It’s just been a great partnership,” said Evelyn Roth, commissioner for the town’s department of services for the aging.
The show, “Project Independence and You,” is now airing on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon on WCWP-FM at 88.1 on the FM radio band. The weekly broadcasts are also archived for on-demand listening on the Project Independence Web site (tonhprojectindependence.net).
Roth said the idea for the broadcast began when a member of the Romeos, the men’s social group maintained under Project Independence, had suggested that the town look into establishing a presence on radio.
Roth said that when she discovered that there were no low-power radio license available, she made inquiries with college radio stations in the area and received a receptive response from WCWP.
Roth has been the host on the shows, with senior residents involved in Project Independence also behind the microphone. The show focuses on issues of interest to senior residents of the town, including nutrition, medical reasons for getting annual flu shots and grandparents’ rights.
On Veterans Day, Roth featured military veterans of World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars talking about their combat experiences and about benefits available to veterans through the federal Veterans Administration.
The show recently featured a guest author who had written a biography of film and TV icon Lucille Ball, according to Roth, who said an upcoming show will feature author Daniel Feldman who wrote “The Sausage Factory,” about the machinations of state government in New York.
Roth said a committee of Project Independence activists suggests topics for the shows, which she said have been drawing a good response from listeners during call-in segments.
Project Independence has seen a significant increase in phone calls through the town’s 311 information line, currently averaging 500 calls each week – up from 300 to 350 calls a year ago, she said.
The Romeos in Project Independence now have a women’s social group counterpart dubbed the Juliettes.
“When we went around to talk about the Romeos, the women asked why there were no Julietttes ,” Roth said.
Like the Romeos, which was started to encourage social interaction between the town’s elderly male residents, the Juliettes hold monthly meetings at the Project Independence headquarters in Roslyn Heights. Roth said there are as many as a dozen women currently participating in the Juliettes.
By the end of the year or early next year, Project Independence will open a resource room at its headquarters equipped with reference sources of information relevant to senior residents concerns. Roth said that project is being powered by several retired librarians who volunteered for the effort.
