For the month of March, enjoying Penticton's craft beers may be the best way to support bringing community radio to the city.
Peach City Radio has teamed up with Bad Tattoo, Cannery Brewing, Tin Whistle Brewery and Kettle Valley Station Pub in a competitive fundraiser for the community radio station.
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From March 1 to 31, these brewers are donating part proceeds from each growler — a refillable 2-litre jug — fill to the Raise the Radio campaign — an effort to help build a fully outfitted broadcast studio for the Peach City Community Radio Society.
For Martin Lewis of Bad Tattoo Brewery, taking part in the campaign was an easy decision.
“We thought that a not-for-profit radio station in Penticton, focussed on local news and local talent, with volunteer DJs was just a great cause,” said Lewis. “I think Peach City Radio, when it gets started, will be great for the community.”
Peach City Radio aims to raise $30,000 to purchase a transmitter, tower, antenna, and all of the required studio equipment for FM broadcast including, of course, some quality microphones. This future radio studio will be set up for the community in the Valley First Community Arts Centre (formerly the Penmar Theatre).
“We’ve enjoyed getting to know our local microbreweries,” said Jackie Del Rizzo. Peach City Radio’s community support chair. “We’re encouraging everyone to visit these local tasting rooms, fill up a growler with their favourite brew, and know that they are supporting both the local craft beer industry and Peach City Radio at the same time.”
Points will be earned by each location based on the number of growler fills over the course of the month, and Peach City Radio will present the first ever Microbrews for Microphones trophy for Penticton’s favourite beer at the 2015 Fest of Ale in April.
“It’s a fun campaign. When you come in and fill your growler, you are basically casting a vote for Bad Tattoo,” said Lewis. “And we will donate a dollar of every growler fill in the month of March to help them buy some equipment to help them do a better job of being on the air.”
The radio society is awaiting the results of their application for a low-power FM broadcast licence and their January hearing before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
The society currently streams an online signal from their website www.peachcityradio.org.
More information on the Raise the Radio campaign can be found at www.peachcityradio.org/support/raisetheradio or email info@peachcityradio.org for more information on Peach City Radio.