WAMC's Million Dollar Winter Fund Drive Beginning Next Week

ALBANY, NY (01/26/2011)(readMedia)-- WAMC Northeast Public Radio will begin its annual winter fund drive on Monday, January 31st with a first-time goal of one million dollars. The money raised will support the station's award-winning programming, the day-to-day operations of the station and the anticipated effort by the House of Representatives to reduce or eliminate funding for public broadcasting.

"Wow! A million dollar fund drive. Now there's a first," says Alan Chartock, WAMC Northeast Public Radio's President and CEO. "The truth is we are in the midst of a perfect storm. The people in charge of the House of Representatives say no money for public radio. The state funds are also at risk because of an 11 billion dollar short fall. The electricity for one of the stations is $4,000 a month and we have 22 others. Therefore, we have no choice. We will sit and do this as we have always done because we have you."

WAMC is currently having a cyber drive through Thursday, January 27th at 11:59 p.m. to help cut down the million dollar goal next week during the fund drive. To pledge during the cyber drive and to find out more information go to wamc.org.

The WAMC fund drive will begin Monday, January 31st and will run from 6:00 a.m. through 12:00 midnight every day until the goal is reached. Many local, regional and national businesses and individuals help the station raise their funds and show their continued support of WAMC by generously donating items, food and services for on-air giveaways and drawings. Plus a fund drive would not be complete without mention of the hundreds of wonderful volunteers who will once again donate their time to answer telephones during the drive. WAMC is always looking for volunteers and donators. If you would like to volunteer your time or if your business would like to make a donation for the station to use as a pledge incentive during the fund drive, please contact Fund Drive Coordinators, Jennifer Wilson (x189) and Katie Horn (x171) at 1-800-323-9262 or by email at jwilson@wamc.org and khorn@wamc.org.

Listeners may make contributions before, during and after the fund drive at WAMC's secure website, wamc.org. Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on January 31st, listeners can phone in at 800-323-9262.

Money raised during the fund drive will support the following WAMC Northeast Public Radio's station network: WAMC-FM 90.3 FM, Albany; WAMC, 1400 AM, Albany; WAMK 90.9 FM, Kingston; WOSR, 91.7 FM, Middletown; WCEL, 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh; WCAN, 93.3 FM, Canajoharie; WANC, 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga; WRUN, 90.3 FM, Remsen-Utica; WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA; WWES 88.9 FM, Mt. Kisco; 93.1 FM, Troy; 99.3 FM, Oneonta; 97.1 FM, Hudson; 107.1 FM, Warwick; 107.7 FM, Newburgh; 103.9 FM, Beacon; 96.5 FM, Ellenville; 106.9, Middletown; 102.1, Highland, NY and 90.9 FM, Milford, PA.; 97.3 FM, Cooperstown and on-line at wamc.org.

Member-supported WAMC Northeast Public Radio broadcasts news, informational and cultural programming to listeners in portions of seven northeastern states. WAMC is an award winning producer of regionally based programming and an affiliate of National Public Radio, American Public Media, and Public Radio International. wamc.org