Murray, KY- Dedicated WKMS listeners and underwriters from western Kentucky, northwest Tennessee, and southernmost Illinois raised $131,177 in community support this spring to maintain Murray State’s NPR Station.
Community support allows WKMS to provide a full schedule of national and local news, as well as a variety of music, entertainment and educational programming. It also provides the foundation to fund station operations, equipment maintenance and replacement, student intern wages, and influences WKMS qualifying for grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and support from Murray State.
A total of 1,147 pledges came from listeners in 16 states. Listeners in Murray and Paducah combined contributed 52 percent of the total. Residents of Cadiz, Hopkinsville and Madisonville, in that order, served as the next largest contributing cities. The station gained 115 New Members this spring. Over 100 volunteers helped by taking pledges from listeners by phone or by joining WKMS staff on-air, and many local restaurants supplied food for the staff and volunteers in March.
The station appreciates all volunteers for their generosity including the Alonzo Pennington Band from Princeton, the Murray State Blue Jazz Combo under the direction of Dr. Todd Hill, Jim Carter, Ben Cundiff, Rebecca Feldhaus, Angie Hatton, Howell Hopson and Geneva Parris, John Hart, Dr. Rusty Jones, Dr. Robert McGaughey, Bob Valentine, Debbie Wattier, and John Williams Jr.
WKMS held special drawings throughout the fundraiser and a Grand Prize Drawing once the goal was met. Molly and Gregory Goodman received a hand-crafted fan back chair by Justin Roberts with Willow Works in Murray. Lydia May of Paducah received an original framed print by regional artist Rick Nance. Six lucky listeners received a pair of tickets to see Bob Dylan & His Band at Murray’s CFSB Center. Randy and Shannon Erickson of Gilbertsville received the Alvarez guitar contributed by Music One of Murray, and Bob and Nita Head of Murray received the iPad Mini. Both couples kindly donated their winnings back to WKMS for future fundraising purposes.
Eloise Maloney of Madisonville is the Grand Prize winner of the Big Green Egg Grill Package provided by Akridge Farm Supply/Ace Hardware in Eddyville and Fredonia.
WKMS Development Director Asia Burnett and Underwriting Representative Ronda Gibson thank businesses in the region for contributing corporate grants to match listener gifts. These include: American Quilter's Society; Ashland and AssureSafe, LLC of Calvert City; Brushy Fork Creek Gallery of Crofton; Grand Rivers Tourism; Magnolia Tea Room of Hazel; Madisonville Community College; FNB of Mayfield, Petals & Pots Flowers and Home Décor of Mayfield; Cellar Door Wine & Spirits, Edward Jones Advisors: Eric Penniston, Larry Jackson, Andrew Norman & Susan Wilson, Farmer & Robertson Family Dentistry, Gear Up! Cycles, Grey's Properties, Lee Jewelry Artisans, Murray Convention & Visitor's Bureau, Murray Woman's Clinic, Rolling Hills Nursery, and Ryan Walker State Farm, all of Murray; Barkley Regional Airport, City of Paducah Fountain Avenue Revitalization Project, Doctor Patrick Withrow, Director of Outreach for Baptist Health Paducah, Etcetera Coffehouse, Ethan Allen Design Center, Flamingo Row, Hughes Funeral Home, King Recording Studio, Paducah Bank, Purchase Area Family Magazine, and Taylor Group PLLC, all of Paducah.
WKMS has a weekly audience estimated at about 20,000 listeners in the Four Rivers Region of western Kentucky, southernmost Illinois and northwestern Tennessee. The station's public media services include 91.3 WKMS-FM, Murray; WKMS HD-1 and All-Music HD-2; 90.9 WKMD and WKMD HD-1 and HD-2, Madisonville; 89.5 WKMT, Fulton; 99.5 Paris, Tenn., and All-Music 92.5 Paducah and 105.1 Madisonville. The station also offers both channels WKMS HD-1 and HD-2 at wkms.org, where regular weekly schedules of programs are available. Listeners with questions can call 1-800-599-4737 during regular business hours.
