WRFA staff are pictured with the limited edition WRFA shirts that will be given out during the 2021 fall pledge drive. From left are Julia Ciesla-Hanley, WRFA public affairs director; Jason Sample, WRFA station manager; and Gavin Paterniti, WRFA program coordinator. Submitted photo

WRFA LP 107.9 FM, Jamestown’s only locally owned and operated community radio station, will be holding its first ever pledge drive from Friday through Sept. 17 with a goal of raising $7,500 from its listening audience.

As an incentive to reach its goal, anyone who pledges $50 or more during the eight-day pledge drive will receive a limited edition “I Support Community Radio” WRFA T-Shirt.

“Over the years WRFA has benefited from countless contributions and donations from our community and this Pledge Drive is intended to serve as a gentle reminder that we are a non-commercial radio station that relies on community support to stay on the local airwaves,” said WRFA General Manager Jason Sample.

Sample also said that by raising money locally, WRFA can continue to qualify for additional programming support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967 to serve as the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting.

“Much of our nationally syndicated programming listeners have come to enjoy during weekday mornings and afternoons, and also on the weekends, is paid for by CPB funding. But we also use some of that money to help cover the cost of our public affairs and programming coordinator positions,” Sample said. “We really get a lot of ‘bang for our buck’ from our CPB funding, but that can only continue if we also receive local financial support from the community we serve.”

The fall pledge drive will not only serve as a fundraiser for the radio station, but also a birthday celebration for WRFA, which first went on the air on September 13, 2004. In addition, WRFA will use the pledge drive to launch two new special programs – A three-part Community Conversation focusing Marginalized and Under-served Groups in Jamestown, and Arts on Fire Live!, featuring five live musical performances. The pledge drive will also serve as a platform to highlight other local programming on WRFA, including the return of the popular and informative Election Candidate Debates and Meet the Candidates Forum.

“We’ll also have other special announcements and surprises during pledge drive. But one thing we wont be doing is constantly interrupting programming to request donations,” Sample said. “It will be less intrusive than your typical public radio station pledge drive because we know our listeners enjoy the wide variety of programming we offer. Instead, we’ll just put out gentle reminders the pledge drive is underway and also offer daily updates on how close we are to our goal.”

Anyone wanting to make a one-time pledge, or schedule monthly donations, can do so by going online to WRFALP.com/donate and clicking the “2021 Pledge Drive” link. Donations can be made at anytime, but to qualify for the Limited Edition WRFA T-Shirt, contributions should be made during the days of the pledge drive, Friday through Sept. 17.