Otto Lohse, 81, of New Hyde Park, has been a...

Otto Lohse, 81, of New Hyde Park, has been a volunteer co-host of "Project Independence and You" for six years. Above, Lohse at WCWP Radio's headquarters on the LIU Post campus in Brookville on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017. Credit: Newsday / Alejandra Villa

In 2011, a resident of North Hempstead approached WCWP director of broadcasting Dan Cox with an idea for a radio show, the station’s first. Six years later, the weekly show is still on air and exceeding Cox’s expectations.

“It’s a great show,” he said of Project Independence and You, which airs on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon. “They talk about medical issues, home issues, insurance, and they share a lot of information about scams against senior citizens.”

The show is hosted by John Ryan, North Hempstead Democratic Party chairman, and Rebecca Miller, deputy commissioner of the town’s Services for the Aging department. It also features volunteer co-hosts from villages across the town.

Project Independence and You features two guests who talk informally about ways that seniors can keep learning and become more independent and active as they age. Show hosts have interviewed local politicians, doctors, comedians and senior center directors, and have discussed a wide range of topics — estate planning and special needs, makeup tips, managing medications, how to decrease slips and falls and more.

The show celebrated its six-year anniversary last week, and now the show’s volunteers hope to see the program expand.

“I’m hoping we can have it air more than once a week,” said volunteer co-host and Great Neck resident Ruth Wolosoff, 83, a retired New York City school teacher who started co-hosting a few months ago. “I’ve done it three times now, and every guest I have had on has been intelligent and friendly, and fun to talk to and informative.”

Otto Lohse, 81, a volunteer co-host for six years, said he enjoys doing research before each show so that he can have a fruitful conversation with guests. He said the show will need to offer more video chats with healthcare professionals offering medical advice to help spur growth.

“Six years from now, I believe the idea of Project Independence is to stay current with those kinds of things,” said Lohse, a semi-retired New Hyde Park resident.

Volunteer co-host Gerald Peretsman, 89, said he would like to see it be syndicated across other small radio stations on Long Island.

Peretsman, of Russell Gardens, has been co-hosting for six years and said there are many benefits to being on the show.

“You get to meet some fairly interesting people with ideas, processes or services that you never heard of,” said the retired corporate executive.

The show aired a special 6th anniversary episode on Sept. 22. Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth came to the station on Sept. 15 to congratulate the show’s organizers.

“Each and every one of them has played an important role in creating an informative and entertaining broadcast,” she said in a recent statement to Newsday.

Cox said he believes the show has done well because its audience still enjoys radio programming, adding that it will gain in popularity as Nassau County’s population continues to age.

THROUGH THE YEARS

Memorable moments on “Project Independence and You”

2011: The show airs on WCWP in September.

2013: Co-hosts Otto Lohse, Sabina Miller and Gerald Peretsman discuss what it’s like being a show host.

2015: Vincent Bentivegna of Investor Recovery Group explains how to recoup money that was lost in financial fraud.

2017: The show celebrates its six-year anniversary with a special episode that aired on Sept. 22.

NewsdayTV has you covered Credit: Newsday

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