By Kate Lochte
Murray, KY – Media Release: Region's Public Radio Service WKMS Fundraises
Date: 03.14.11
Contact: Kate Lochte (kate.lochte@murraystate.edu, 270-809-4745)
Murray, KY - The first fundraiser of the year is underway for 91.3 FM WKMS, Murray State's listener supported public radio service. The station serves western Kentucky, southernmost Illinois, and northwest Tennessee with two channels of programming, both 24 hours a day. This spring fundraiser's goal is $130,000 in community support from listeners and businesses. Once the overall goal of $130,000 is met, the station will giveaway a large Big Green Egg grill with an accessory package provided by Akridge Farm Supply in Eddyville.
Listener gifts comprise twenty percent of the overall budget of WKMS. During each fundraiser online, mail and telephone opportunities for renewing listener/contributors precede the on-air phase which starts on Wednesday, March 23. Dairy Queen of Murray and area McDonald's Restaurants are providing gift certificates as incentives for listeners who become members of the station for the first time with this fundraiser.
This spring WKMS also offers special drawings for those renewing their memberships at www.wkms.org, where there's a secure pledge page available year-round. Potters Wayne Bates and Craig Rhodes have each provided a $300 gift certificate for their artwork for the online member drawing. For members renewing by mail the station offers a Kindle E-Reader giveaway for which the drawing will be March 22.
Continuing its tradition of helping local non-profits with each fundraiser, this spring WKMS is partnering with Project AIDS Orphan (PAO), founded by two nurse practitioners, Paul Bilak of Paducah and David Okongo of Kandaria, Kenya. Each pledge supporting programs on WKMS generates a gift of $1.50 to PAO from The Cappock Family of Paducah. In Kenya, $1.50 feeds one elementary school student breakfast, lunch and dinner for one day.
WKMS offers in-depth news, analysis, discussion and a variety of music on 91.3 FM which is also its HD1 channel at the same frequency. WKMS offers the Classical 24 channel on its HD2 channel, which also airs at 92.5 FM, Paducah and 105.1 FM, Madisonville. WKMS operates with funding from individuals, underwriters, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Murray State University.