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Fundraiser

‘One Small Step For Man ... One Giant Step For Music’

The Eagle will land again.

This time it will be in Lakewood at Southern Tier Brewing Company as part of The Great American Picnic, a fundraiser for WRFA.

According to General Manager Dennis Drew, the picnic has been in place since 2012. This year, Drew said, the picnic is Tuesday, and the theme is the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landing of Apollo 11. Several bands will be playing music from 1969.

“The Show is the tribute to the Moon Landing in 1969 — Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing,” Drew said. “One Small step for man and one giant step for music.” Drew said he had told the bands that they can play any song from any era that has to do with outer space or from 1969 when the Astronauts landed.

The low-power FM radio station is also celebrating 15 years on the air and with it, trying to raise money for new equipment.

According to its website wrfalp.com, WRFA is a listener supported, non-commercial, low power FM radio station provided as a public service by the Reg Lenna Center For The Arts, formerly known as Arts Council for Chautauqua County. The station is broadcast at 107.9 FM. WRFA is dedicated to providing access to the arts, cultural and educational programming and a forum for the discourse of public affairs. Also WRFA provides community outreach through programs at area public schools, the East Side YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club of Jamestown and Hispanic Youth Radio. The station also relies on participation from local volunteers, who produce a wide variety of news, cultural and entertainment-related programming. Along with Drew, Jason Sample is the public affairs director and Steve Schulman is the station consultant. WRFA’s license is held by the Reg Lenna Center for The Arts.

Three new studios recently were added to the station, located at 116 E. Third St., Jamestown. Drew said the new studios have nicknames to fit them. Studio A is for air, Studio B is in the back, and Studio C or see, is situated so guests and announcers can see Third Street through the windows.

The station is trying to develop a web-based, and on-demand presence while getting into the multi-media arena. He said listeners, in the future, will be able to watch shows live or be able to download archived versions he said. “The digital world is a different world. I’m learning a lot about it.”

Drew said the station is about being public and giving back to the public. “We give time. Yeah we are a public station and we are here for the public good. We can spend 45 minutes with one interview, with one politician or with one head of some foundation and get the whole story,” the station manger said.

Coincidentally, Tuesday also marks the 77th birthday of Sir Paul McCartney, and Drew said the bands can play anything by McCartney. “It’s going to be pretty wide open, a great show. You do have to pay to get in, but that’s where we raise our money. It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year as a single event,” Drew said.

Admission is $20 and the picnic is from 5 to 9 p.m. Hot dogs, soft drinks, beer, and snacks will be available for purchase, Drew said.

Musicians and bands that will perform in outdoor concert include, Bill Ward and Rebecca McIlvain; Steve Davis and Friends; Gary Peters Jr. with Jeff Erickson, Jay Peterson, Danny Witherspoon, and Steve Davis; Cold Lazarus; and Astroglide featuring members of We Speak Canadian, Two For Flinching, and the Porcelain Bus Drivers.

For more information call 484-7070 or reglenna.com. Southern Tier Brewery is located at 2072 Stoneman Circle, Lakewood.

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