By Jenni Todd
Murray, KY – Media Release: WKMS Fundraiser Close to Goal
Date: 4-4-11
Contact: Membership Coordinator Jenni Todd (270-809-4748 or jtodd14@murraystate.edu)
Murray State's listener supported public radio service, 91.3 WKMS-FM had reached 97 percent of its first fundraiser goal of 2011 as of Monday, April 4. The station is continuing to ask listeners to call in, mail in or pledge online to finish the effort with a total of $130,000 in community support. There will be a week of quiet fundraising on the air during which the station hopes to hear from the remaining contributors. WKMS will resume on-air fundraising on Monday, April 11, if the total goal hasn't been met by then through mail, web and call-in pledges.
WKMS Membership Coordinator Jenni Todd reports that 965 gifts and pledges have brought the effort to about $4400 remaining to goal. The station has so far received gifts and pledges from one hundred first time contributors. The average gift/pledge is hovering around the $100 level. Todd says, "With the Cappock Family of Paducah contributing $1.50 to Project Aids Orphan for each gift to WKMS, the benefit for PAO is about $1500 at this time." Based in Paducah and Kenya, Project Aids Orphan is the third local non-profit with whom WKMS has worked during a fundraiser: previous campaigns resulted in gifts for the Murray Calloway County Hospice House and Habitat for Humanity.
The station has completed two drawings for thank-you-giveaways in the fund drive. Richard Nelson of Trigg County receives the guitar contributed by Leach's Music in Paris as a gift for listeners pledging during the station's popular bluegrass and Americana program, Music from the Front Porch, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mike and Jennifer Young of Murray pledged by mail before the on-air campaign began and receive the Kindle Reader.
When WKMS reaches its goal of $130,000, the station will draw from all the participants to win a Big Green Egg package from Akridge Farm Supply of Eddyville and Fredonia. To enter, please use the online pledge form (no commitment necessary) at wkms.org. Yet to come as well are drawings for $300 Gift Certificates contributed to the effort by area artists Wayne Bates of Gallery 121 of Murray and Craig Rhodes of Mount Pleasant Studios of Brookport, IL.
WKMS Development Director Ronda Gibson and Underwriting Representative Anne Bidwell report that businesses in the region have contributed a total of $25,335 to the fundraiser in the form of corporate matching grants. These include the following by community: Calvert City - ISP Chemicals. Hopkinsville - Mr. Mulch, Jennie Stuart Medical Center. Grand Rivers - Grand Rivers Tourism. Madisonville - Madisonville Community College, and Madisonvilledeals.com. Mayfield, Murray & Wingo - FNB Bank. Murray - Acupuncture Clinic of West KY, C.A. Jones Management Group, Edward Jones Investments, Fidalgo Bay Coffee, and Hillyard Field Organics. Paducah - Flamingo Row, Henneberger-Flynn Insurance Agency, Hughes Funeral Home, In Bloom, Mazzone Communications/Paducah Life Magazine, Medical Spa 7, Purchase Parenting & Family Magazine, Paducah Power System, Rehab Associates Physical Therapy/Go Performance & Fitness, Roof Brothers Wine & Spirits, Taylor & Associates PLLC, and USEC. Princeton - Black Oak Vineyard.
The WKMS pledge line is 800-599-4737. Mail pledges to WKMS, 2018 University Station, Murray, KY 42071 (made payable to WKMS/MSU Foundation). The station's secure online pledge page is accessed by clicking "pledge now" at www.wkms.org.