Two independent stations in Wisconsin have raised over $15,000 to support a fellow volunteer-led, community station in Western North Carolina after it was destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Helene. Stations WDRT in Viroqua and WORT in Madison joined forces to help wART (WART-LP) rebuild and upgrade its facilities.
The fundraising efforts were sparked by Viroqua resident Julie Tomaro, who was inspired by a friend’s Facebook post showing the storm’s destruction in Marshall. Tomaro, along with WDRT staff, organized a Halloween Dance Party fundraiser at the VFW in Viroqua. WORT further supported the effort by matching up to $5,000 in donations.
wART, part of the Madison County Arts Council, suffered severe damage when floodwaters from the French Broad River swept through the town in late September. With funds raised by the Wisconsin stations, wART has been able to replace damaged equipment and relocate its studio to a local community college, ensuring the station’s future while upgrading its capabilities.
Madison County Arts Council President Erich Hubner told the Madison Journal Sentinel, “The support we received from WORT and WDRT literally made our replacement studio possible. It’s a terrible way for it to happen, but thanks to this outside help, we will have a better studio than before. Radio is a media built on connecting, sending and receiving. We could really feel the love and goodwill from these other stations and their listeners.”
Make sure your station’s charitable holiday actions are added to Radio Ink’s Season of Giving Tally. Send your good news to our Online Editor Cameron Coats. To see every story and contribution from this year’s Tally click here. Subscribe to our daily headlines email and follow Radio Ink on Instagram for updates as they happen.
