MANKATO — Polka is known as “Minnesota’s party music,” so it’s fitting that KMSU will end its fall pledge drive by playing “polka til you puke,” said the station’s general manager.
The 10-day pledge drive kicks off Wednesday and ends Oct. 31 with the polka segment by DJs Tim “Shyboy” Lind and Shelley Pierce. They’re on the air from 6-9 a.m. during their show, “Shuffle Function.”
KMSU has set an ambitious goal this fall of raising $33,333.
“Donations during our pledge drive are incredibly important because they’re the bedrock of KMSU’s overall funding,” said KMSU General Manager Dwayne Megaw. “Not only do they allow the station to continue growing and improving, but every dollar also acts as a vote of confidence with the university, which holds our FCC license. And to be eligible for state grants, like Arts & Cultural Heritage funding, we need to show financial support from the community.”
It’s a unique college radio station that stands out for its diverse programming.
“The environment of KMSU is all about building community,” he said. “It’s a place where folks are welcome to play the music that moves them, the music they enjoy and that they’re passionate about. And they don’t just play the music; they talk about the music and why it matters to them.
“It’s exciting to be a part of a thing that is so community driven.”
The fall pledge drive is a critical source of funding for KMSU, Lind said.
“Every pledge drive goal feels very ambitious,” he said, “but these are the numbers that we have to hit to hit our goals for the station to keep things running and improving. If it feels like it’s too much pressure, it’s too bad. We still have to hit it.”
KMSU has a strong fan base and manages to impress even new residents from big cities.
“KMSU is a unique radio station,” Lind said. “We hear from people who move to Mankato from all over the country and they think they’re coming to fly-over land. They’re scrolling up and down the radio dial and find KSMU. And it’s not cookie-cutter, pre-programmed rubbish.
“It’s really unique and special. It’s the kind of thing you don’t find anywhere else. I think that’s why people tune in to us every day. KMSU is important to have in the community.”
It’s time for the community to rally behind the college station that boasts a reach of “southern Minnesota, northern Iowa and the world,” Megaw said.
“The best thing people can do is support their community,” he said. “The entire vibe of our station is welcoming different communities. It’s at the very essence of what KMSU is about — community building. We’re just asking for our community’s support.”
KMSU can be found at 89.7. To donate to the station, go to kmsu.org.