One and Done!

WBHM Hosts Successful One-Day Fund-raiser

Tinsley Van Durand

On April 2, 2009, WBHM launched a revolution in public radio fund-raising. Instead of spreading the fund drive over more than a week, WBHM condensed the drive to just one day—One and Done! WBHM is one of the first public radio stations to try out the concept, and it very nearly reached the monetary goal of $150,000 in on-air pledges by raising more than $131,000 in a single day. This was the most money raised in one day of any fund drive in WBHM’s history, and the one-day format gave seven days of programming back to its listeners.

Because the goal wasn’t quite met, the station had planned on returning for another day of fund-raising. But then listener Tinsley Van Durand called. He explained how his advertising agency, Lawler Ballard Van Durand, wanted to help by giving WBHM a gift of $19,000 to make up the difference from the goal. He said that this would allow the station to continue to offer its award-winning programming instead of continuing the fund-raising efforts.

“When Tinsley Van Durand spoke with me, I was taken aback and overjoyed at the same time,” says Mike Morgan, WBHM’s general manager. “It’s a great gift from a team of dedicated public-radio listeners who work for a community-minded company. I guess you could say Lawler Ballard Van Durand saved themselves and other listeners from any more on-air fund-raising during this spring campaign. That pleases us and certainly pleases them.”

Mary Hendley, development director for WBHM, notes, “One and Done! was a terrific success. We are thrilled that our listeners understood that they had the ability to minimize the program interruptions necessary for an on-air drive, and they responded quickly and generously. We send a very special thanks to the folks at Lawler Ballard Van Durand for their generous gift.”

One and Done! was so successful that the station is planning another for fall on October 22.

Maintaining the Momentum / Summer/Fall 2009