SAN ANTONIO — Sally Wiskemann is an explorer using black and white text to see the world.
"I become one of the people who are in there," she explained. "It's a great feeling."
Some of her favorite journeys, however, haven't been taken alone. Sally shares stories with thousands of listeners, who would never be able to experience them otherwise: the visually impaired.
"The people I talk to all miss reading the newspaper. They're that generation where every morning and every evening, they would read the paper," she said.
Every Monday morning, her voice is broadcast on Owl Radio. The program reads top headlines, feature stories, and horoscopes across the airwaves.
But Wiskemann isn't just a reader for the radio - she's the reason for it. Her friend, Bonnie Truax, unexpectedly lost her vision many years ago.
"After she became blind, her husband would read her articles form the newspaper," Wiskemann said. "A few months later, Bonnie called me and said 'Sally, do I have a deal for you!'"
That's how Owl Radio was born. Nearly two decades later, the idea has blossomed into a fully-functioning radio station. It's run almost entirely by volunteers, seven days a week.
Work begins before the broadcast, cutting and editing articles from the paper so they're easier to read on-air. Most volunteers go home after their shift, but Wiskemann isn't one of them.
"She serves on our board, she volunteers in so many different capacities," said executive director Lisa Miele. "She even wears an owl costume at the low-vision expo."
Wiskemann is a fan favorite, and is well-known by folks who have listened to the programming for years.
"The responses are so heartwarming," she said. "That's what keeps us going. That's our paycheck."
That dedication makes her a shining light that everyone can see.