Conference 7.286::maynard

                  WW          WW  AA  VV      VV  MM  MM
        The        WW   WW   WW  AAAA  VV    VV  MMM  MMM
        Friends     WW WWWW WW  AA  AA  VV  VV  MM MMMM MM
        Of           WWW  WWW  AAAAAAAA  VVVV  MM   MM   MM
                      WW  WW  AA      AA  VV  MM          MM



                                                        Sept. 21, 1992



    Dear Friend/Parent,

    I would like to extend an invitation to you to join the Friends of
    WAVM. Our organization was started in 1983 to provide support for
    one of Maynard High School's finest activities.  Together with
    Cablevision and the Maynard Public Schools we form an essential
    partnership which keeps WAVM a thriving and exciting place for our
    children to learn, grow, contribute to the community, and have fun
    too!

    Our primary activity is fundraising to maintain the Karen Lee
    MacGillivary scholarship fund, which each year is awarded to the
    two most dedicated members at the station.  Additional funds
    raised go towards supplying the studios with equipment and
    supplies. We also provide support for the annual Beacon Santa
    Telethon, which last year raised over $14,000. 

    For those that are interested, opportunities exist to both teach
    and learn about television and radio production, electronic
    journalism, marketing, etc.

    We regularly meet on the first Tuesday of each month in room 212
    at MHS from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.  Our first meeting will be TOMORROW
    Tuesday, Sept. 22nd. I hope you can find some time to attend and
    experience "The Pride of Tigertown" first hand.


					Dave Griffin, President
                                          (897-4275)

                                        Florence Tomyl, Secretary
                                        Donna Poitrast, Treasurer



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      |              Mark your calendars now!                      | |
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      | September 22nd   October 6th   November 3rd   December 1st |/
      +------------------------------------------------------------+

WAVM FM goes on the air tonight -- heating up the airwaves....  (The opening
theme song may be something like "C'mon baby light my fire"  -- I had suggested
Sarah McClauglin's "Into The Fire" ...  You get the idea.)


The Friends of WAVM will be meeting on Tuesday, October 6th from 7:30 to
9:00.   All are welcome, but we especially encourage those whose children
are members of WAVM to attend.   We are also eager to hear from members
of the community who are interested in becoming "producers" of television
segments...  If you have an idea you would like to see transformed into
video -- please stop by.


Our major topic this week will be final planning for the Ice Cream Social,
set for October 15th.  The Ice Cream Social is a semi-annual event and a
major (and tasty) fundraiser for the station.


- dave

    The Friends of WAVM are sponsoring an Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Social!
    
    Thursday, October 15th, from 5:30 to 7:30 in the High School Gym.
    
    Sundaes: $2.00
    Cake Walk: 25 cents.
          
    
    Come and enjoy!   And while you're in the vicinity, pop over to the field
    and cheer the Girls' Soccer Team!!
    
    
    Thank you,
    
    - dave

Our main topic for tonight is the planning for the Beacon Santa Telethon.

Each year, the WAVM staff along with community supporters, runs a 30 hour
non-stop telethon -- raising money for the Beacon Santa.  Last year I believe
we raised over $12,000, supporting the less fortunate in our area.  Each year,
it seems, is more important than the last for these events.

The telethon is scheduled for December 12-13.

The Friends of WAVM assist in the logistics, food, and adult supervision for
this event.   It really is a blast for everyone, and every little bit helps.

If you cannot or don't wish to attend our meetings, but would like to work
during the telethon (or contribute in other ways), please feel free to contact me
via mail or at home by telephone at 897-4275 (evenings please).


- dave

    Dave, we've been supporters of the WAVM Beacon Santa telethon for many 
    years, and the efforts of the WAVM staff and adult supporters in this 
    telethon are outstanding year after year.  Everyone in Maynard and the 
    surrounding communities should feel proud that our young people put so
    much time and energy into this event.
    
    Before this year's telethon gets rolling, can you provide a brief
    summary of how the Beacon Santa funds are distributed?  It may help
    to spur more people into making donations if they knew what agencies
    or church groups or food pantries, etc. were getting the funds.  
    
    I know that the Globe Santa fund gets letters from people in need,
    and they use that list to distribute funds and supplies.  In addition,
    the Globe donates to homeless shelters, etc.  
    
    How does the Beacon make their donations? If I am a less fortunate 
    person how does the Beacon find out about me?
    
    Frank   
     
    
    

This has been a common question and we asked the Beacon for this information
a few weeks ago.    Once the answers have arrived, I'll post them here.
(My impression is that the Beacon organization is not a "well-oiled machine").
I, personally, had hoped this information would be available by now.  Sigh!

We've* been worried that the hard work of the WAVM staff and the community
doesn't have an equitable return (via the Beacon Santa disbursements to the
needy in our immediate area: Acton, Sudbury, Concord, Hudson, Stow, etc.).  If
that proves to be the case, we hope to ask the Beacon to modify their practices
a bit (failing that, we examine our options for next year).



- dave


* We = "The organizers of the telethon this year"

    Dave, thanks for the information and the honesty.  Your reply was 
    not good news, but hopefully the Beacon can provide the necessary
    information in a short time.
    
    I would like to think that the WAVM Beacon Santa telethon funds are
    returned to the viewing communities (Maynard, Acton, Stow, Sudbury and
    Hudson).  I hope this turns out to be true.  
    
    From my experiences with the Maynard Community Chest, I know that
    when we tell people that 97% of all the donated funds are distributed
    to agencies that serve the citizens of Maynard, we seem to get a very
    good response.  Our annual fund-raiser mailing shows the member 
    agencies and the amount of money that goes to each agency and the 
    number of Maynard citizens that are served by that agency.
    
    I don't think it's too much to ask the Beacon Santa to provide 
    such information.  I'm sure they have the info, and they can help
    their fund raising efforts by making this known up-front.
      
    Frank

Agenda

o  Telethon preparation review, etc.

Just a reminder to everyone that the telethon is this weekend!

Tune in if you can.  (Stay up with Katie, Jill, and Charlie and watch the
stars come out -- weather permitting).


- dave

Thanks to your support the WAVM Beacon Santa Telethon was a wonderful
success -- raising over $13 thousand.

About 12 hours of the telethon was done with a skeleton crew due to the storm.
This was a terrible disappointment to many kids, but it was only possible
due their hard work before the telethon that we could do anything at all.
Those that remained worked very hard to keep the telethon running smoothly
as possible considering the circumstances.

My personal thanks to the parents and volunteers who worked during the
telethon in these harsh conditions.


- dave


Re: .7  -- I have learned that the Beacon Santa returns more funds to the
Maynard community than are taken in by the Telethon.   In this respect I
am a bit more comfortable with them as a sponsoring organization (but not
completely so).   I will continue to review this after the holidays to
assure that by next year we can provide complete information about how
the donation money is distributed.   [I continue to be "unthrilled" with
the Beacon's support of the telethon this year (publicity, etc.).]

    Dave, the efforts of the WAVM staff and Friends of WAVM were
    outstanding!!!   Great job in unusual and unfortunate conditions.
    
    As a parent of a student who was sent home at noon on Saturday,
    I can tell you first-hand how disappointing it was for those who
    who were not allowed to stay on.  However, we kept our TV tuned in
    and kept on on bidding until the last minute, when we *won* our 
    second quilt in two years.  That's $200. from me in two years.
    
    Now that the totals are in, can I go back to my original question and
    ask again where all the money will go?  
    
    I didn't want to raise a flag during the telethon, but I have a real
    concern about where the $13,000. raised this year really goes.
    
    Does it support the local communities?  Or does it go to the San 
    Francisco Cronicle, the parent corporation of the Beacon?
    
    I just need to know if my $200.00 in the past two years is going to
    the needy in Maynard, Stow, Sudbury, Hudson and Acton, or if it is
    going to San Francisco?
    
    Regards,
    Frank

As I stated in .10, the Beacon Santa returns more than $13,000 to the
Maynard community each year (however, the telethon is not the sole source
of funding for Maynard -- there are individual donations).   How the money
actually moves around, I don't know YET.  I will continue try to find out
in black & white.   If I can't get a straight answer from them soon, they'll
be answering this question in the "Letters to the Editor" section of their
paper.

- dave

>If I can't get a straight answer from them soon, they'll
>be answering this question in the "Letters to the Editor" section of their
>paper.

... if the Beacon won't answer it outside that forum, I doubt they'd
answer it on their Editorial page   :^)

    
    If the need to know is that bad, why don't you go to the
    state attorney's office and have them  investagate it . Then you will
    most certainly get it in black and white. What is the real problem
    that we are looking at here, do you think fraud is in the works?
    
    bc

The Friends of WAVM are sponsoring a dance on Friday, March 12, from 8PM to 
midnight at the Maynard Rod and Gun Club.

Tickets are $7.50/person (that's just $15 a couple folks) for a night of
conversation with friends, dancing to oldies from the '50s and '60s, and
snarfing down munchies.


         ********* Our solemn pledge:  NO DISCO ************


Proceeds from the dance will all go towards the annual scholarship fund.


Feel free to send me mail about obtaining tickets, or call darn near
anytime at: 897-4275.


Thanks,

- dave  (& the Friends of WAVM)

    Dave, I don't mean to divert attention away from the WAVM fundraiser,
    particularly the part about "no disco", but your note reminded me of
    the ongoing saga of the Beacon Santa.
    
    Now that the Beacon Santa season is over, would it be appropriate for
    WAVM to ask the Beacon for a brief summary of where this season's money 
    went?
    
    I suggest that since WAVM is such as large contributor to the Beacon
    Santa, the least that the San Francisco Chronicle (parent company of
    Beacon Publications) should do is provide this information.  
    
    Perhaps if WAVM wrote to the Beacon and said that it is reviewing it's 
    community funding program for 1993 and has received a number of
    requests for donations from it's annual telethon, you could encourage
    them to "apply" for continuation of the Beacon Santa support.  If 
    they refuse or cannot supply information to your liking, WAVM has
    plenty of time to re-align it's telethon to sponsor another charity
    for the 1993 Holiday season.
    
    Frank  
    
     

The Scholarship Dance in note 392.15 has been cancelled.

Our thanks to those that did commit to purchase tickets.


- dave

If you have a community event that you would like listed on the WAVM
cable bulletin board (and announced during the radio shows), please
either:

1. Call the station at 897-5213 (or 897-5179) and state that you would
   like to have a PSA put on the air along with a short description of
   what it is.

2. Mail your announcement to:
            WAVM
            1 Tiger Drive
            Maynard, MA  01754

            Attn: PSA Department

3. Send me (pragma::griffin) mail with the announcement.  I will forward
   it to the station.

4. Send the announcement to the school via Internet: hsmaynard@a1.mec.mass.edu

Chances are that if you announce it in the Beacon or Action Unlimited, the
station will pick it up anyway -- but that is not guaranteed (nor is it often
timely - as anyone who reads the Beacon can identify with).


The WAVM News department is seeking ideas for feature stories or
in-depth reports on the community (the people, the businesses, the land).
Please send any suggestions you have to me (pragma::griffin), and I'll
bring them up with the News department.


- dave

The WAVM Telethon is this weekend!  30 hours non-stop.  [And then see if
the kids in the band can make it through the parade on Sunday!]

You can watch on cable channels 61 and 29, or listen in on 91.7 FM.

If you have items you would like to donate to the telethon, or you would
like to help out as an adult volunteer -- please drop by the station
during the evening or any time during the telethon.

- dave

The Friends of WAVM are holding a Valentine's Day Dance on Feb 12th from 
7PM to midnight at the Maynard Rod & Gun Club.

Tickets are $15/couple.

Come for an evening of dancing, music, chat, and snacks.   Around mid
February you'll want to get out of the house!

Tickets are available by calling 897-4275 or sending me mail.   They'll
also be on sale at various community events.


Proceeds go to the WAVM Karen Lee MacGillivary Scholarship fund.

Thanks to all who support this worthy endeavour.


- dave

The weather forecast for Thursday, the 14th of April calls for warm
and sunny weather -- up into the mid 70's.  There are few better ways
to top off a great day than with a delicious ice cream sundae!

WAVM's Spring Ice Cream Social will be held on Thursday, April 14th from
5:30 to 8 PM in the MHS Cafe.  Sundaes are just $2.50.   There will also
be a cakewalk for the little kids.

So, come out of your winter funk and meet your neighbors again!


- dave

p.s. All proceeds go towards WAVM activities and scholarships.  WAVM has
over 130 student members from grades 7-12 and provides entertainment and
community service for Maynard via their radio and cable television productions.

This past Sunday's Boston Globe (Aug 14th) had a feature story on WAVM in
the West Weekly section of the newspaper (the regional insert).  It is a
very good article.

WAVM will also be featured in the nationwide magazine "SuperTeen", in the
issue due on the newsstands at the end of August.   The article was written
by class of '94 senior Amiee Bariteau.


- dave

The 30 hour non-stop telethon will be held December 10th and 11th.

It starts at 8AM with a rather creative opening -- try to catch it.


Tune in on 91.7FM or cable channel 61  (and I believe cg 29 in
surrounding communities served by CableVision).

The station could REALLY use some additional items donated for the
telethon, so if you have something you'd like to donate please drop
by the station -- or call (897-5179) and they'll pick it up pronto.
[Donations are happily accepted during the telethon as well....]

We're pretty well staffed for the telethon, but if you'd like to
help out as an adult volunteer there's a chance we could use your
help for an hour or two (it often depends on the time of day).


- dave


p.s. A Digital VAX computer helps run the telethon by keeping track
of bids, etc.   We might have a TV camera in the room with the
terminals/phones, so watch for VT420s!!

p.p.s.  The parade downtown is December 4th...   Bring the kids!

The telethon this year has been expanded to 40 hours.  Starting
8pm on Friday Dec. 8th and running to noon on Sunday Dec. 10th.

Tune in and bid on donated items from local businesses and individuals.

If you have items you would like to donate to the telethon, they will
be gratefully accepted.  Simply drop them off at the studio at MHS or
call 897-5213.


Adult volunteers are always welcome.  See me at the telethon if you'd
like to help out for a few hours and haven't signed up for anything.


Once again the school's VAX/VMS system will be used to provide the
data processing services for the telethon.


- dave

On the web at: http://www.ultranet.com/~maynard/bst95.htm