Jean Gunkel, Mana Bhatt and Karen Frezza of West Windsor are among six persons honored as volunteers of the year by the New Jersey Unit of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D). The presentation was made at the unit’s volunteer recognition luncheon held at Queenship of Mary Catholic Church in Plainsboro earlier in the fall.
Gunkel is retired from the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District where she taught fourth grade for 20 years. She has volunteered with RFB&D since 1994, recording mostly literature and grammar texts used by primary and middle school students. She volunteered 311 hours during the past year and has also been part of several special projects for the national organization.
Bhatt was honored for her contributions to the unit’s financial development efforts. She helped implement new databases and did extensive research to make it easier for the unit to apply for grants from corporations and foundations. Bhatt, who will soon be pursuing an MBA at either Harvard Business School or Wharton, also recorded economics texts in the unit’s recording studio.
Frezza has volunteered with the New Jersey Unit since 1995 and reads, directs other volunteer readers, and helps prepare books to be recorded. She coordinates many projects, including several for the unit’s celebration of its 50th anniversary. In the past year, she donated well over 100 hours of her time.
Other volunteers from West Windsor and Plainsboro were also honored for years of service or having donated at least 100 hours during the past year. They include Plainsboro residents Elaine Armas, Patty Cooper, Jim Hastings, Peg Hastings, and Jeff Kaplan.
West Windsor residents include Loretta Bercuk, Harold Cymes, Dave Gonsiorowski, Mindy Langer, Susanne McNatt, Sandy Shapiro, Neerja Sundaresan, Savi Ragavan, and Bryce Rittenhouse.
RFB&D is the nation’s educational library serving those people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability. Its mission is to create opportunities for individual success by providing and promoting the effective use of accessible educational materials.
The New Jersey Unit of RFB&D is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The unit has made its home on the campus of St. Joseph’s Seminary on Mapleton Road in Plainsboro since 2003. For more information call 609-750-1830 or visit www.rfbdnj.org.
