After 31 years as a social worker, Charlotte Kroupa retired from her job with the State of Illinois. Charlotte would finally have the time to relax and pursue the hobby she remembered
her mother had so enjoyed. Picking up needle, thread and thimble, Charlotte had decided to try her hand at quilting. That was until she heard Minds Eye was looking for volunteer
readers. She loved to read, and, besides, when she quilted she always managed to prick her finger. Drops of blood on the quilting group’s masterpiece just wouldn’t do.

Reading for the blind was much safer, and it soon became Charlotte’s passion. Since 1992, Charlotte has tackled anything and everything the Minds Eye staff has asked her to read. From the Suburban Journal newspapers to the Christian Science Monitor, Charlotte has enjoyed every minute spent in the Minds Eye recording booths.

A few years into volunteering, Charlotte was asked to do a program about pets and their people. From that point on, she’s brought her love of furry, feathered, and fluffy creatures to life with the Pet Hour. Articles from Dog Fancy, The Bark, and Cat Fancy magazines and feature stories from local newspapers and shelter groups make their way into the Pet Hour. When recently reading an article about the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, Charlotte’s voice was filled with pride as she shared the accomplishments of Uno, the Belleville beagle who who took Best in Show in 2008, and has become a canine ambassador who visits senior centers across America. Her voice melts with compassion when she mentions pets who have passed away and are waiting at the “Rainbow Bridge” for the day when they’ll be reunited with their special person.

To say Charlotte loves animals is an understatement. Any conversation of more than a few minutes quickly turns to Miss Scarlett, the basset hound who, after Charlotte’s husband, Bernie, passed away, became her best friend. Before Scarlett, Charlotte had to share her pet’s affection with her husband or her parents. Scarlett was the first dog that was hers and hers alone. Whenever friends pulled out photo albums filled with pictures of their grandchildren, Charlotte
pulled out her own little brag book filled with pictures of Scarlett. Since her beloved Scarlett has since passed, she’s content spoiling and enjoying her neighbors’ pets. She looks forward to her weekly appointment with the Minds Eye microphone as she brings the wonderful world of pets to life for fellow animal lovers with the Pet Hour.

mindsEye...bringing printed words to life