Fayette County native becomes editor of magazine for blind
As a child, Fayette County native Gregory Evanina loved to read. Now as an adult, reading is the main part of his job as the new editor of the “Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind” based in New York City. As Evanina’s duties continue to unfold, he’s excited to learn that reading takes a large part of his job. Scanning four national newspapers a day and more than 30 magazines a month, Evanina selects human-interest articles to reprint in “Ziegler.”
Replacing Michael Mellor, who retired after 19 years at the monthly magazine, Evanina was officially made editor of the magazine in January.
Evanina expects a smooth transition to his new duties, since he filled the role of assistant editor at the magazine for 12 years.
“Mr. Mellor was much beloved by his readers. It is hard to fill his shoes,” said Evanina. “But, he has prepared me very well to assume this position, and I look forward to guiding the ‘Zieglar’ into its second century.”
Moving to New York City because of a job transfer in February 1991, but still unhappy at his new job, Evanina began to scan the “New York Times” want-ad section for openings. Weeks later, Evanina was hired as assistant editor of “Matilda Ziegler.”
Evanina sees his five-month internship at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children during his master’s degree program as the resume highlight that landed him the job.
“I’m lucky enough to have gotten a position in my chosen career,” said Evanina. “I get to work in a place where I bring joy into people’s lives every month.”
The first magazine created specifically for the blind in 1907, 97-year-old “Matilda Ziegler” has gained 11,000 subscribers from all over the world. In addition, 4,000 copies of the Braille in print and 6,000 copies of the cassette are distributed worldwide, although Gregory said the magazine has even more readers and listeners because of subscribers sharing copies with others.
“There may be five or 10 people reading or listening to one copy,” said Evanina.
As a future goal, Evanina plans to expand the Internet version of the magazine, noting that computers can now come equipped with electronic Braille, speech and “screen-reader” programs.
“As technology has grown by leaps and bounds, especially for blind people, I imagine more will get computer equipment,” said Evanina. “I’m hoping the online expansion will promote the magazine and make it more available.”
Greg is proud to say that in some places the magazine is used as a teacher of Braille.
Sections that appear in the magazine every month include: “A Letter From the Editor,” “Obituaries,” “Pen-pals,” “Special Notices,” “Bits and Pieces” and “Letters From Our Readers.” A poem and a short story are also included in each month’s edition. The story of the month for February is “Mystery of Rose.”
There are also local “Ziegler” subscribers, residing in Uniontown and surrounding areas.
“‘Ziegler’ is very good,” said Uniontown resident Dewey Durbin, five-year subscriber to the cassette version of the magazine. “I enjoy listening to it.”
Ray Egnot of Connellsville has been a subscriber of the cassette version of the magazine for 35 years.
He has nothing but positive things to say about the magazine and Evanina, who he met years ago while taking Gregory and other children bowling for a church youth group activity.
“It is an outstanding magazine for the blind,” said Egnot. “It is very diversified and has a wide selection of material. I wait for it every month.
“Greg’s a wonderful boy. He’ll do very well. I was tickled to death to hear that a local boy makes good,” Egnot added.
Others, including his two sisters, Roxanne and Marcia, and his parents, are also proud of Evanina. His mother, Josephine, credits Gregory’s successful nature to the encouragement she and her husband, Charles, gave to their son so that he would achieve his potential and be an example of a good education.
“We are very proud of him,” said Josephine Evanina. “He worked very hard, and he enjoys what he is doing.”
Evanina travels home several times a year to greet his parents living on their Bittner farm where he grew up.
“I love it in Uniontown,” Evanina said. “I like to get back to nature. It is beautiful there. The air even smells sweeter.”
Josephine Evanina reminiscences on her now-grown son as a youth.
“From first to eighth grade, Gregory was a member of a book club,” said Josephine. “He would wait for that mailman to bring his books each month. He would have me read every one of them to him over and over again. He read constantly and I helped him through his school years. He has a pretty high IQ because he read so much.”
Evanina recognizes the support his parents provided him and gives them credit for their achievements.
“My parents made it a priority to educate their children,” Gregory said. “They know the value of an education. They understood how much easier it can be in life when you’re educated. Their high morals, family values, support and the best advice they can give has led us to the points in our lives where we are now.”
Josephine said: “You sacrifice, but you have to say, ‘What comes first?’ Your children. They are most important to me. Seeing your children get ahead. After Gregory got started, he did so well through school and college.”
A 1981 graduate of Uniontown Area High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh and his master’s degree at Point Park College.
Evanina said his father, Charles, is always on the lookout for new subscribers to “Matilda Ziegler.”
“We stopped in Grantsville, Maryland, on a tour bus one time,” Charles said. “I met a man there and gave him a brochure on the magazine. What did you know, the next day Greg asked me whom I knew from Alaska. Here the man I got to subscribe lived all the way in Alaska. Greg knew it was because of me.”
Schoolteacher Rose Ziegler recently struck up a conversation with Charles on a bench at the Uniontown Mall.
After Charles noted the similarity of her last name to the name of his son’s employer, the teacher went on to tell him that she knew a little girl who was blind who lived in her hometown. Charles told her about the magazine and the girl ended up as a subscriber. Charles said the girl ended up writing him a letter, telling him how much she loved the magazine.
Evanina said he plans to stay head editor at “Matilda Ziegler” for a long time to come, noting he especially wants to be on board when the magazine celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2007.
“I feel blessed,” said Gregory. “I really love my job. I have great employment, appreciative readers and it is personally and professionally rewarding. I am very lucky.”
“Matilda Ziegler” is distributed free-of-charge to those classified as legally blind. To receive a subscription write to Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind, 80 Eighth Avenue, Room 1304, New York, NY 10011, call 212-242-0263 or fax 212-633-1601.