Pacific Gas & Electric has again made a donation to help keep community radio in Morro Bay on the air. PG&E recently awarded a $5,000 grant, matching fund-raising efforts by the staff at 97.5 FM The Rock “to support the station’s operating costs and its continued role as an emergency broadcast services provider for all of Estero Bay.”
To match the grant, the station recently finished a fund-raising drive with a concert at Central Coast Music, raising $27,500. Local musicians Back Bay Betty, Vincent Bernardy, Travis Warren, Matthias Stone and Kenny Taylor performed at the show.
Everyone involved with the station is volunteering 100-percent of their time and talents but the station has operating costs and funds raised and matched by PG&E will pay for basic business expenses to provide continued radio programming and emergency broadcast capabilities.
Tom Jones, PG&E’s director of corporate affairs, in presenting the company’s check said, “97.3 FM, The Rock, offers valuable, community based programming along the Estero Bay and it has a second and equally important mission — providing Emergency Broadcast System capabilities.
“At PG&E, the safety of our customers and employees is the top priority. This level of emergency preparedness is invaluable for area residents during emergencies in an otherwise underserved FM broadcast area along our rugged coast. We are thrilled about this significant emergency broadcast services enhancement and want to bolster 97.3’s community serving mission.”
“We’re delighted to have the support of PG&E with this important community project,” said 97.3 The Rock founder and president Hal Abrams. “The synergy between both organizations will bring critical information to those that need it.”
In the photo from left are: Abrams of The Rock, PG&E’s Jones and Sandra Pendell 97.3 secretary. Photo by Neil Farrell.