Kudos To KXEO and KWWR in Mexico, MO. When a local business decided it was no longer going to allow an Angel Tree, to benefit foster kids, in their store, the radio stations took over. KWWR-FM mid-day host Michael Jennings tells Radio Ink that while the radio station doesn’t have the kind of foot traffic a retailer does, the station recognized the need and put the Angel Tree in its lobby. Here’s what happened.
Jennings says for a number of years, the Audrain County Children’s Division had worked with a national discount store who allowed them to put their Angel Tree in the entrance to the store. “The Angel Tree is decorated with tags with the age and sex of a foster child and has at least one gift listed that the child would like for Christmas. Shoppers at the store could pick up a tag and purchase that item. This year, that national retailer changed their policy and wouldn’t allow the tree to be placed in their store. The Children’s Division scrambled to find other retailers to pick up the slack. While KXEO-AM and KWWR-FM aren’t retailers, we recognized the need and put an Angel Tree in our lobby.”
Jennings says the station normally does a gift exchange at its annual Christmas party, but this year the staff decided to do something different. “We adopted children from the Angel Tree and brought those gifts to the party instead. We were given 24 tags for the tree and through the generosity of our staff, we were able to purchase gifts for all of them, providing a merrier Christmas for those foster care children. Not bad for a company with 15 full-time employees and six part time-staff.”
No Michael, not bad at all. Kudos to you and your entire team in Mexico, MO, for showing everyone what working at a radio station is all about.
This AM/FM combo in Mexico, MO, is owned by Anne Johnson. KXEO-AM will celebrate its 70th birthday in 2018 and KWWR-FM will celebrate 40 years as a Country station in 2018.
