Sunday, February 15, 2009

Happy As A Toad

As one of the newest volunteers at WPVM, I can't speak to my past experiences or grievances at the station. As a matter of fact, I'm happy as a toad that I'm getting a chance to enhance the Asheville community by being a volunteer here. So what a shame it was for me to find that right as I was walking in, many were walking out. (I've taken Cecil Bothwell's job of being the volunteer coordinator of Democracy Now.) I actually get to be "on air" for about three minutes a week. While Amy Goodman breaks, I read weather predictions and such, which thrills to no end. So my concern is that the station will keep operating and continuing to bring great programs like Democracy Now to the city (there's a lot of great programs -- check the schedule).

A great communty radio station can be one of the best features of a great town. It's like a big bulletin board that plays good music, or a great music outlet that keeps you well informed. Either way, it's an important asset.

I'm writing now to support the volunteers who are trying to keep WPVM going strong and free during the power shift that is occuring. As people look away from top-down corporate media outlets, some are turning to volunteer-run, grass roots, democratically organized community-based media. I support the volunteers' hard work on coming up with an excellent structure for maintaining a fair, free, and open radio station that serves this community.

I've been wonderfully impressed with the level of dedication, devotion, and plain hard work that this group of volunteers has shown me and I'm hoping to become more like them.

Generally, when volunteers come to the community for help it's the usual financial kind, but now we're asking for something even more precious: your trust and your vote of confidence. The volunteers have a real handle on what is and isn't needed at WPVM. They are more than capable of taking this station to the next level.

I hope you will look into the situation and see that the volunteers need your help in resolving this governance crisis. Contact a MAIN board member and let them know that you, too, support volunteer-run community radio. It's only gonna' get better.

Peace,
Scotty O, WPVM Volunteer.

2 comments:

  1. I'm not a volunteer of WPVM but I have known some people who were and currently are. This letter sums up how they all feel. It's a great thing that WPVM has going and I know we'd all hate to see this ship sink. I'm going to take the time to write the board of directors and I hope everyone else does too.

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  2. Hey my story is so like Scott's only I have volunteered onair for a year and some change. I got more involved because each day I walk into the station I feel like I am really, really contributing to a grassroots movement; that with all of the other, global, grassroot movements, is really, really, really changing the world. It is exciting to be in any way, a part of that. Over the past year I have done my best to be a "show up" volunteer. Over the past year I have learned a lot. I have watched conflict and denial and tension. It really makes it difficult for people to keep up their spirits. Well our spirits are what breathe this fire in us.When the ground spring well of long time, super-dedicated volunteers (they are there now and I am so groovin' on this show)are not even given the opportunity to be in discussion, real, open negotiating with the board/ed, well that is just somebody afraid to play nice. That is just somebody trying to wear down our spirit. I do not know why and I do not want to judge but we all know that to be the truth don't we? We need to be able to communicate on that level. Doing what you are now, having a really great show, that is why I stay with it. because we have to. My spirit is with you.
    Catherine

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