Update: Failed sale of Goddard campus & impact on station
No doubt listeners and especially Goddard alumni have heard the latest news about yet another failed sale of the Goddard campus. This continues to put the physical future of the station in a state of limbo, however, we remain fully committed to working with any future owner of campus, whomever that will be. We continue to also plan for other outcomes, including the possibility of a forced station move. Any extra funds we raise beyond our fundrive goal this fall will help us prepare for increased costs from eventual new ownership of campus that will be passed on to leasing entities like us.
No doubt some of our listeners and especially Goddard alumni have heard the latest news about yet another failed sale of the Goddard campus. This continues to put the physical future of the station in a state of limbo, however, we remain fully committed to working with any future owner of campus, whomever that will be.
In many ways, WGDR and WGDH are part of the legacy of the Goddard vision of social justice, deeper thought, and community connection. We are proud to be part of this legacy, and, through community ownership, we are working hard to come through this sale of campus, however we need to.
During this fall fundrive and for all our future fundraising efforts until campus ownership changes, any extra funds we can raise above our goals will go directly into the CVCR Future Fund. This fund will help us prepare for increased costs from new ownership of campus that will be passed on to leasing entities like us. Costs like independent internet service and increased other utility costs.
If you have the means to give a bit more, in anticipation of these increased costs, during this fundrive, please do. If you are a Goddard alumni, looking for a place to invest in a way to keep the Goddard legacy alive, we hope you’ll consider WGDR/WGDH as one of those places.
You can donate today at WGDR.org or make a check out to CVCR and mail to CVCR, 123 Pitkin Road, Plainfield, VT, 05667.
Thank you, listeners!
Hurricane Helene Relief, Recovery & Solidarity
We are watching with heavy hearts what has happened in the wake of Hurricane Helene across the South and mid-Atlantic. The FCC does not allow a community radio station to fundraise for any other entity, other than itself. However, we can share relief efforts and links via our website. Click through to this blog post for ways to help relief efforts in these areas.
Photo courtesy of the CBC.
The FCC does not allow a community radio station to fundraise for any other entity, other than itself. During the devastating flooding in Vermont last year, Vermont Public got a special waiver to work with the Vermont Community Foundation to raise relief funds.
We are watching with heavy hearts what has happened in the wake of Hurricane Helene across the South and mid-Atlantic.
The following are ways to help relief efforts in these areas.
Appalachian Helene Response Fund, a coordinated effort of community funders in the area that will channel resources directly to the areas of greatest need throughout the region. Information at AppalachiaFunders.org or give directly to the fund here.
Buncombe County (which includes Asheville and surrounding areas) is taking volunteer requests, donations, equipment, and other offers of help via its Instagram page.
Firestorm Coop (a worker-owned cooperative in Asheville) is organizing local activists in Buncombe County for mutual aid, including direct donation support "via Cash App and Venmo. See their Instagram link for more.
JM Pro Community Media, a gross roots nonprofit serving immigrant communities in Western North Carolina is covering the hurricane recovery, including ways to help (coverage is in Spanish).
WGDR/WGDH Programmer DJ Effery is collecting donations to drive to Newport, TN in the next few days to deliver to those in need.
World Central Kitchen - volunteer or donate to their efforts to feed folks in need in the effected areas, including first responders.
We will add more as we are able to collect it. All information in the greater Ashville, NB area is vetted directly by our community radio partners at AshvilleFM. Their station is off the air due to power but is intact. Most places are using social media accounts because the internet is still down, but limited cell phone coverage and bandwidth for that is coming back up.
Thank you to all from Vermont who are organizing and preparing to help those throughout this region with immediate help and on the long road to recovery.
Meet More CVCR Staff
This fall, Rachel Lindsay has joined Chris Buckridge to help us expand our underwriting and sponsorship funding. Earlier this month, Levi Kerchner joined us as an Operations Coordinator, helping to keep programming and logistics running smoothly. We are excited to have these folks join our staff and to keep improving how we take care of both stations. Learn more about them here.
One of our station goals this year is to work toward a more sustainable station. This has included continuing to diversify our fundraising, but it also encompasses adding more part-time help to run and support the station. This fall, Rachel Lindsay has joined Chris Buckridge to help us expand our underwriting and sponsorship funding. Earlier this month, Levi Kerchner joined us as an Operations Coordinator, helping to keep programming and logistics running smoothly. We are really excited to have these folks join our staff and to keep improving how we take care of both stations.
Learn a bit more about these folks on our website. We are already filling underwriting and sponsor slots for 2025 too, so if you want to use the power of community radio to get the word out, let Chris@WGDR.org or Rachel@WGDR.org know and we can help.
Local Funding Assistance for Plainfield Residents
Plainfield Residents Affected by Flooding: PACT has opened applications for the Flood Relief Fund!
Our immediate focus is on securing stable housing, so we are currently accepting applications for housing assistance only until October 1, and exclusively for Plainfield residents.
After October 1, we will expand the application process to address other needs.
You can apply online at www.plainfieldareacommunitytrust.org or pick up a paper application from the manila folder outside the town clerk's office and submit it through the slot there.
Plainfield Residents Affected by Flooding: PACT has opened applications for the Flood Relief Fund!
Our immediate focus is on securing stable housing, so we are currently accepting applications for housing assistance only until October 1, and exclusively for Plainfield residents.
After October 1, we will expand the application process to address other needs.
You can apply online at www.plainfieldareacommunitytrust.org or pick up a paper application from the manila folder outside the town clerk's office and submit it through the slot there.
We’re here to support you through this challenging time.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers & Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program Help
There are four FEMA Diaster Recovery Centers now open in our listening area: Barre, Plainfield, St. Johnsbury and Waterbury. This is where individuals can get help filing for assistance. The Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program Help is also accepting applications for farms and businesses who suffered damaged and lost inventory in the 2023 and 2024 floods. Click through for more info.
Photo credit: VT Digger, of the heartbreak hotel apartment building in Plainfield.
FEMA has opened two regional Disaster Recovery Centers in our listening area.
The Plainfield FEMA office is at the Goddard campus off Route 214. It is located in the location of the old Goddard Cafe. Walk-in hours are 8am-5pm, seven days a week. No appointments are needed.
The Barre City office is at the Barre Auditorium at 16 Auditorium Hill. It is also open seven days a week, 8am-7pm, no appointments are needed, you can walk in.
Lyndon has opened at Recovery Center at the Lyndonville Public Safety Facility at 316 Main St. from 8am-7pm, seven days a week.
And Waterbury now has a Recovery Center at the Waterbury Armory at 294 Aromry Blvd. open 8am-7pm, seven days a week.
You are welcome to make new claims, amend a claim already made, provide additional documentation, or dispute any finding that you may have received. Please remember to bring insurance documents (including coverage refusal letters) and an ID that shows your place of residence. The Small Business Association will also be at these offices with info about low-interest disaster loans. Both locations are open until further notice.
You do not need to go to a FEMA office in person to file a claim. Any Vermonter affected by the July 9-11 flooding, can apply online for individual assistance funds if you are in one of the seven counties affected. Those counties are Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans, and Washington. Register at DisasterAsstiance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. You can call seven days a week, 7am-10pm.
Even if you have already reported damage to VT-211, you must register with FEMA in person, by phone, or online to apply for support.
Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation will be helping flood-impacted business owners and farm owners statewide with the BEGAP application (Business Emergency Gap Assitance Program).
The BEGAP program can be applied for at https://accd.vermont.gov/BEGAP. You can apply if your farm or business was flooded out and had physical damage, equipment loss, or inventory loss. Lost revenue or wages are not included. This is for flooding from 2023 and 2024. You need proof of damage and some other documentation. Deadlines are Sept. 30 for 2023 and November 15 for 2024 flooding.
There are also drop-in clinics statewide where applicants may receive in person support on BEGAP without an appointment. They are as follows:
Thurs. Sept. 5 - NVDA offices 36 Eastern Ave. Suit1, St. Johnsbury
Mon. Sept. 9 - Do North Coworking - 3rd Floor Classroom, 930 Broad St., Lyndonville
Fri. Sept 13 - Many sites in the NEK, contact CVEDC to make an appointment at 802.595.3175.
Tues. Sept. 17 - Mad River Planning District Offices, 4061 Main St., Waitsfield, VT 05673
Wed. Sept. 18 - Lamoille Count (location TBD)
Mon. Sept. 23 - drop in hours at CVEDC office at 41 State St. 2nd Floor Montpelier, for as long as there is demand.
If applicants wish to make an appointment for BEGAP help, they may do that here: https://www.centralvermont.org/begap-support
CVCR’s Fall Schedule
The new programmers are done with their summer training and on the air. Tune in to hear these 5 new shows and check out the slightly changed schedule, to adjust for the departure of a few other locally-made shows. Click through to see the full line up of changes.
Over the summer we made a few schedule changes to welcome five new locally-made shows and adjust for the departure of a few other local shows. We are up to just about 60 local programmers, with locally-made content now making up 60% of our 7am-midnight schedule. When we took over ownership of the station in 2021, we had just 25% of local content on the air. This is all the result of the community stepping up to come make radio with us and the hard work of many folks at the station to train up new folks and support the ongoing shows. Thank you to all who keep the station making some “Wicked Great Darn Radio! (WGDR).”
See the current line up on our online schedule here and download and print a copy for yourself from this PDF (this shows you which is local vs. nationally syndicated).
Here are the changes and where some syndicated shows shifted to, to make room for new locally-made shows:
SUNDAYS
6pm - Adiago - A syndicated music show, featuring gentle genres like jazz, ambient tunes, and more. Moved from an overnight slot on Fridays.
MONDAYS
9am - Making Contact (now called Frequencies of CHange Media) - A syndicated talk show using stories and interviews to connect people. This show moved from Mondays at 11am. Blluminations, a locally-made show, shifted to start at 10am on Mondays.
9:30am - Economic Update- A syndicated talk show about the economy and critique of capitalism. This show moved from Mondays at 11:30am.
10am-noon - Blluminations- Host Stefani Lingenfelter shifted her show about life, spirituality, and our interconnectedness from 9am, to start at 10am instead. Making Contact and Economic Update have moved to earlier on Mondays.
7-9pm, 1st Mondays of the month - Future Reflections (formerly called Theme Time Radio), hosted by DJ Syd.
TUESDAYS
6am - Background Briefing - A syndicated news and analysis show, airing five days a week. This is the return of the Tuesday show to the airwaves. Locally-made show Styrofoam Stereo has retired.
7am - First Voices Radio - A syndicated talk show exploring Indigenous People's’ culture, stories, and issues. This show is moving from Tuesdays at 3pm.
12pm-1pm - New Dimensions - A syndicated talk show about exploring your mind, body, and spirit. This show is moving from Tuesdays at 4pm. The locally-made show, Get Fresh with DJ Llu is moving to Fridays 11am-1pm.
1pm-2pm - Afronsonic Taxi - A syndicated music show of world music. This show is moving from Thursdays at noon.
3-5pm - Listen Up! A new locally made music show hosted by Bill Nowlan, featuring selections based on the lyrics of the songs, across the rock and roll genres. First Voices and New Dimensions have moved to earlier on Tuesdays.
9-11pm - Metal Bedtime Stories - A new locally made music show hosted by Mac Dates exploring metal music. TBD on the start date of the show.
THURSDAY
11am - Stranger and Deinger - A new locally-made show hosted by Natascha Deininger. It will feature music and interviews with local folks talking about their favorite albums, sort of like Desert Island Discs (check out the BBC podcast if you haven't heard it).
12pm - Modern Jet Set - A syndicated music show with a range of music “flying the friendly skies.” This show moved from Saturday nights at 7pm.
1am - Train to Skaville- A syndicated music show of traditional ska music from the 1970s+. This show moved from Saturdays at 9pm.
FRIDAY
1am - Nuestra Musica - a new syndicated show exploring native instruments, languages, and traditional music from 22 countries around the word.
11am-1pm - Get Fresh with DJ Llu - a locally-made music show featuring new music, hosted by DJ Llu. This show moved from Tuesdays, 12pm-2pm.
6pm-9pm - Barn Dance Blue Grass - The Grassers have added the “potluck” hour and extended it to a three-hour get down to start your Friday nights off right. The rerun of Democracy Now is now retired from Friday evenings. You can always listen to the Friday episode on our archives or on the Democracy Now website.
SATURDAY
9am - 2nd Saturdays of the month, an encore airing of Rumble Strip until September. Then a new locally-made musical and poetry show will begin in October on the 2nd Saturdays, hosted by Levi Olsen.
10am-noon - All Mixed Up - A syndicated music show of a mix of music and film clips. This show moved from Tuesdays at 9pm. The local show, Predictably Unpredictable has retired.
7-9pm - Jagler Kats Worm Hole - A locally made show with host Jason Hagler, featuring music in the RPM, ambient, and spacey realms. Modern Jet Set moved to Thursdays at 12pm.
9pm - First Wave - A syndicated music show featuring 80s synth and new wave music. This used to air at 8pm on Saturdays. Train to Skaville has moved to Thursdays at 1pm.
We’re saying a friendly good, goodbye to our pals who are leaving the airwaves for other adventures:
Thomas Mattera - Styrofoam Stereo - Tuesday mornings, 7am bi-weekly, last show July 23.
Merry Gangemi - Quilting Hour - part of the Wednesday 9am rotation group, stepped away in the spring.
Tim Metayer - The Tim Show - Sundays at 6pm, stepped away in the spring.
Richie Walker (Turkey Joe) - The Jive Turkey Show - Fridays, 11am-1pm, stepping away in late August.
Maria Shumann - Bread & Salt - 2nd Saturday at 9am, stepped away in May.
Chris Buckridge - Predictably Unpredictable - Saturdays, 10am-noon, stepping away in late July.
We hope you will enjoy what you hear! You can always give feedback on our listener survey.