KPR wraps up fall membership drive with more than $254,000 in pledges

LAWRENCE – More than 3,500 people helped Kansas Public Radio conclude a successful fall membership drive after they reached their goal of $250,000.

After eight days of on-air fund raising, KPR ended its fall membership drive with $254,366 in pledges. At noon Friday, Oct. 24, KPR wrapped up Fall Fanfare 2014 with pledges from 1,915 listener-members.

The membership drive began Oct. 14, with more than $94,000 raised through a direct-mail campaign. Seven fundraising days later, more than $160,000 was raised on-air by pledges from new and renewing members.

“Each membership drive our listeners tell us how much they love the programming, and they are willing to put their money where their ears are,” KPR Development Director Sheri Hamilton said. “We set a high goal, and they came through again. They hear their investment in KPR every time they turn on the radio.”

All donations during spring and fall membership drives directly support KPR’s local and national programming.

The overall pledge total does not include challenge grants, in which a company, foundation or individual will donate money if KPR can raise a certain level of funding during a specific time period. Almost $45,000 was raised through challenge grants.

In each hour, KPR interrupts programming for about 10-15 minutes to ask for donations. Regular programming resumes for the rest of the hour. The membership drive featured a “Power Breakfast” on Oct. 14, when an entire day’s fund raising was compressed into 90 minutes. That raised more than $29,000.

Even though the on-air portion of the drive is over, listeners can donate anytime at the KPR website.

More than 100 volunteers answered phones from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. during the drive. Area restaurants donated meals and beverages for volunteers’ breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks.

KPR, a 15-time Kansas Association of Broadcasters Station of the Year, licensed to the University of Kansas, broadcasts on 91.5 FM in Lawrence, 89.7 FM in Emporia, 91.3 FM in Olsburg-Junction City, 89.9 FM in Atchison, 90.3 FM in Chanute, and 99.5 FM and 97.9 FM in Manhattan. KPR can be heard online. KPR also operates KPR2, a news-talk programming stream, which can be heard on an HD receiver or on KPR’s website.