The Knix Mix: WERU Fall Pledge Drive 2013

This past week the staff and many, many volunteers were busy with WERU's November Pledge Drive, aka Funathon! Which it was. Fun, that is! WERU has four pledge drives a year that are fundamental to keeping WERU strong and growing. This is WERU's 25th year (and counting!) of serving listeners in the local community and now worldwide via our online streaming capabilities. Can you believe that WERU started in what was once a chicken barn in Blue Hill, which was affectionately called "The Henhouse?" Many people who were there when WERU went on the air in 1988 are still actively involved with the station. It's pretty amazing when you think about how many are volunteering their valuable time to support WERU. "Listener supporter, volunteer powered" isn't just a slogan!
This was only my third pledge drive and the second at the helm of my own show. I had the opportunity to co host with the wonderful Magdalen on Women's Windows last Sunday. Women's Window's own Linda Washburn was busy behind the scenes with our phone volunteers, Farmer Matt and Ted. I hadn't had a chance to meet Magdalen prior, but we had a great time bonding on air. I may have used the word "cool" once too often during our first on air pitch, but we made a good team once we warmed up! We exceeded our personal goal of 6 pledges by almost double. Linda said I was a good luck charm and was invited back anytime!
On my show, The Knix Mix, it was quiet, which is not unusual for a 10PM to midnight show. Hopefully, as my audience grows, that will change. One of the great things about WERU is that there is such a wide variety of shows, and listeners value the fact that they hear music and programming that they won't hear anywhere else. And no two music shows are exactly alike either. Even if the genre of music is the same. There's room for everybody! I'm all about electronic and alternative dance, which is unique to my show. Really, I just wanted an excuse to play the music that reminds me of dancing at Zootz in Portland back in the day!
Saturday was the final push of the week long pledge drive, so Matt Murphy, WERU's illustrious General Manager, called in Holly McMartin (mom to Pip of The Junk Drawer and one of the hosts of the Sunday Morning Coffee House) and myself to pitch alongside Robin Mendehall, who was taking her turn hosting the Saturday Morning Coffee House that day. Willie Marquart, WERU's Finance Manager, was there to lend his support, and Ellen and Mike were our volunteers answering the phones. We joked that our collective energy went from herbal tea mode when we went on air at 7AM to full blown coffee mode by noon. Matt has now earned the moniker Peanut Butter Boy from wearing a peanut butter smile to make us laugh. It seems what we were doing worked because we reached our goal of 20 pledges and had a great time besides! Poor Robin usually has solitude and quiet when she comes in early on a Saturday morning to host her show, but she took our antics in stride.
All told, we welcomed 113 new members and raised $56,241, which I call a success! We are happy to accept pledges any time of the year, so if you missed the November Pledge Drive, you can call the station at (207) 469-6600 or pledge online at https://weru.org/donate. There you will also find information about how to become a Sustaining Member or a Business Member, and the benefits of doing so. And don't forget to tune in to The Knix Mix, so I can be around for WERU's 50th anniversary!