Contributed by K.T. McKee
Radio Free Palmer Annual Meeting
4/1/2017 – 2PM
Radio Free Palmer
Turkey Red
550 S Alaska St, Palmer
FREE Event
In this era of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” how do we determine what the truth is when faced with news reports from various sources? Attend this year’s annual meeting of the Valley’s only member-supported community radio station, Radio Free Palmer, on April 1st at Turkey Red. You might just come away with a better understanding of this recent conundrum.
Alaska Public Radio Network News Director, Lori Townsend, will help navigate these confusing waters as this year’s guest speaker. The meeting, which includes members voting on candidates for four RFP Board seats, will be held 2pm-4pm and also features snacks provided by Turkey Red.
There is no cost to attend and everyone will have an opportunity to either become a member or renew their memberships. Only members can vote in the election. Donations to the non-profit station are always appreciated.
Townsend has worked in print and broadcast journalism for more than eighteen years. She got her start in broadcasting at the age of eleven as the park announcer of the fast-pitch baseball games in Deer Park, Wisconsin. She was the co-founder and former editor of a magazine featuring northern Wisconsin writers and artists, and worked for seven years at a tribal station of a Wisconsin Reservation.
Radio brought her back to Alaska, where she worked as a broadcast trainer for native fellowship students at Koahnic Broadcasting. She then helped co-found the non-profit broadcast company, Native Voice Communications, with veteran Alaskan broadcasters Nellie Moore, D’Anne Hamilton, Len Anderson, Sharon McConnell and Veronica Iya. NVC created the award-winning Independent Native News, as well as producing many other documentaries and productions.
Aside from Townsend’s lively presentation and discussion, Big Cabbage Radio members and others are encouraged to attend this meeting to keep up with recent happenings and plans for the future.
“Attendees can expect to receive a report about the station’s activities over the past year, as well as next year’s strategic direction,” RFP CEO Mike Chmielewski said. “They can expect to be heard when giving feedback and recommendations. Attendees also will have a chance to interact with the DJs and volunteers who make the station work.”
Helping RFP run as smoothly as possible is its Board of Directors. This year, members will be voting on whether to allow Board Members Gina Davis, Kenni Psenak Linden and Joseph Davis to continue serving for another three-year term. Ms. Davis, comptroller for the City of Palmer, has been working as the board’s treasurer. Ms. Psenak Linden, an active community member, has been working as secretary. Mr. Davis, head of the Glacier View Community Council, has his own radio program in the mountains near his home called “Glacier Review.” Former board member, Becky Stoppa, will be vying to fill a one-year seat left vacant by departing former Board Vice President, John Robertson.
In the next year, the Board and RFP volunteers will be working hard to improve the organization even more.
“We plan to extend our ability to cover remote events beyond our coverage of meetings and the Alaska State Fair to Friday Flings and other events at the Palmer Depot,” Chmielewski said. “Programming is being developed to cover health topics and issues of interest to seniors.”
For more information regarding the annual meeting or other questions about Radio Free Palmer in general, please call 907-745-8951 or email manager@radiofreepalmer.org.
