Porterville is a town that abuts the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. The Porterville Library was struck by arson last week, and in their attempt to save people and property, two firefighters, Cpt. Ray Figueroa and firefighter Patrick Jones, lost their lives.
Momentum Broadcasting (KJUG, KIOO, KCRZ, KVMI) took printed 10’X4’ posters to the Walmart in Porterville, where listeners came to sign the banners. The four posters were covered with messages of condolences to the families of the two brave men.
Last Friday (Feb. 21), the stations took 500 T-shirts to raise funds in Porterville. Promoted on air that morning, all 500 were sold at $20 in one hour, and the gross receipts of $10,000 were donated to the firefighters’ families. The stations returned on Saturday, and in the pouring rain sold a combination of additional T-shirts and solidarity bracelets to listeners for another $12,000, generating $22,000 total in two days towards the immediate families’ needs.
Bill Lynch, GM of Momentum Broadcasting, said, “I was so incredibly proud of my staff who worked long and very stressful hours to benefit the city of Porterville in this hour of incredible community need. This is the real face of radio, in the community, making connections, and a difference everyone can see, hear, and feel.”
