88.1 the Park Thanks for Giving Pledge Drive – November 11 – 16

88.1 The Park listeners, alumni and friends will have a chance to show their support for student radio that is focused on Plymouth and Canton during the 88.1 the Park Thanks for Giving Pledge Drive from November 11-16, 2024.

“We love providing our listeners with Plymouth and Canton’s Hit Music,” said Jonah Kibin, Program Director.  “But the station offers so much more by providing local news, high school sports, broadcasts from local events, and announcements about local non-profits.  We are proud to be Plymouth and Canton’s radio station.”

The station is committed to providing radio powered by students.  88.1 The Park is focused on investing in the lives of young people through broadcast and business training, providing students with a place to connect on a large campus, and by giving students a chance to serve their community.

“If it is preparing somebody for a life’s work, they’re doing it at WSDP, and I’m a living example of it.  Scores of people graduated from WSDP and used that as a launching pad for life,” said Dave Snyder, 1982 Plymouth Canton graduate and Anchor for WCJB TV in Gainesville Florida.

During the six-day pledge drive listeners will be encouraged to make a pledge of financial support for 88.1 The Park.  In addition to pledges, credit card donations can be made through 88.1’s website (www.881ThePark.com).  Look for the DONATE NOW link on the right side of the page.  Donors can choose 88.1 The Park when they are asked to select a fund.  Friends of the station can also donate using the station’s mobile app, which is available for iPhones and Androids.

Money raised during this year’s pledge drive will support the 88.1 the Park Amplification Capital Campaign for studio upgrades.  The station is working to raise $200,000 to activate a $200,000 gift from the Rotary Club of Plymouth.  These upgrades will allow for significantly more student participation and more than double our current studio space, allowing for more on-air content, recorded news/programming, and edited news podcasts. These upgrades will put the broadcasting environment at 88.1 the Park on par with professional studio space—helping to maintain our award-winning broadcasting quality, while creating a more professional experience for students and studio guests.

Donor Levels and Pledge Incentives
$50 – 88.1 the Park Lunch Bag
$75 – 88.1 the Park T-Shirt
$125 – 88.1 the Park Thermal Beverage Travel Mug
$365 – Host Your Own Radio Show
$1,000 – Plaque recognizing your donation outside our studio and all the above donor items.
One of the highlights of the Thanks for Giving Pledge Drive is the special guests that stop by the station to work with the student staff.  The station is thankful for the many community supporters, alums and teachers that support the pledge drive each year by serving as a guest.

Guests November 11-16
Monday
Noon – 2:22 p.m. – Paul Sincock, Plymouth City Manager and 88.1 the Park Alum
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Kevin Ryan, Canton Community Program Director
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Glenn Bar, 88.1 the Park Alum
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Jill Engel, JBE Advantage and longtime 88.1 Supporter

Tuesday
Noon – 2:22 p.m. – Ellen Elliott, Friends of the Penn Executive Director
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Shauna Anderson, Plymouth District Library Director
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Eva Davis, Canton Public Library Director
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – June Kirchgatter, The Juniper Group and 88.1 the Park Alum

Wednesday
Noon – 2:15 p.m. – Anne Marie Graham Hudak, Canton Township Supervisor
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Dr. Monica Merritt, P-CCS Superintendent of Schools
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – David Hammond, Canton Community Foundation Vice Chair
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Mady Bajorek, 88.1 the Park Alum

Thursday
Noon – 2:15 p.m. – Beth Stewart, Michigan Philharmonic Executive Director
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. –
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Kurt Heise, Plymouth Township Supervisor
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Hannah Thoms, 88.1 the Park Alum

Friday
Noon – 2:15 p.m. –
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. – Tansley Stearns, Community Financial Credit Union, President and CEO
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. – Denny Kapp,  88.1 the Park Alum
6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Daniel Schoenherr, 88.1 the Park Alum

Saturday
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. – John Bommarito, 89.3 WEMU and former 88.1 the Park Assistant Manager
10:00 a.m. to Noon – Mady Bajorek, 88.1 the Park Alum
Noon – 2:00 p.m. – Ariel Ooms, 88.1 the Park Alum
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. – Simon Oszust, 88.1 the Park Alum

“We’re asking people to invest in 88.1, but in reality their gifts support the community through programming focused on Plymouth and Canton and the impact on student’s lives,” said John Kreger, 88.1 the Park Assistant Manager.

The station’s success at serving the community has been noticed.  For the seventh year in-a-row the station was the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Foundation High School Station of the Year.

88.1The Park is owned and operated by the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools.  The station has been on the air since February 14, 1972 with a mission to use local radio to invest in the lives of young people and serve the Plymouth-Canton Community.