sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Listeners to college radio station KSYM 90.1 FM can support the station and the community by pledging donations Monday through March 31.
James “Hot Mustard” Velten will kick off the station’s 21st annual pledge drive, and guest DJs will host in shifts afterwards.
The drive will be streamed live on ksym.org.
In spring 1994, John Onderdonk, KSYM adviser and radio-television-film professor, began the pledge drive.
The pledge drive funds necessary expenditures for the radio station. Some examples of expenditures are licensing fees; Emergency Alert System, the national public warning system; and Radio Computing Services software, which allows the station to run 24/7.
“Every piece of furniture, every computer, every piece of equipment, every microphone, everything has been purchased with pledge drive funds,” Onderdonk said.
When KSYM moved into Longwith Radio, Television and Film Building in January 2005, the space was furnished by pledge money, Onderdonk said.
Listeners can call and pledge an amount to be donated at a later date. KSYM will send a letter, a bumper sticker and an envelope to the listener. This allows them to send the envelope back with cash or check.
Donations are also accepted online by credit card at ksym.org.
KSYM will offer premiums, such as T-shirts, for a minimum donation of $35 and hats for a minimum of $45.
The T-shirts will feature logos of shows on KSYM such as “Third Coast,” “The Wave,” “Lush Life,” “The Casbah” and shows devoted to heavy metal and Beatles music, Onderdonk said.
Premiums will be available for pickup on May 3 at Fredstock 2014, a concert produced by the music business program.
The 2013 pledge drive raised $27,266.
KSYM provides public service announcements, as well as raising awareness, organizing and promoting events and acquiring donations for nonprofit organizations such as Meals on Wheels.
“We serve students of the college, but also we serve the community,” Onderdonk said.
To donate, call 210-486-5796.
Katherine Garcia contributed to this story.