It's been a trying couple of weeks here, along the Grand Strand, what with an already sluggish tourism season, a longer-than-usual winter, and now - wildfires. Rampant fires have damaged over a hundred homes, destroyed (at last count) 82 houses, caused millions of dollars in damage, and put a lot of strain on all of us - those who've lost belongings, those who've helped those in their time of need - and those of us in the media who just want to help in any way we can.
Almost IMMEDIATELY, local radio and TV sprung to action to get the word out; we already provide necessary traffic and weather information, but when the Red Cross and area agencies needed to pass along shelter, food, evacuation information, we were all there. This isn't to gloat; almost all the stations in the immediate area did their best to lend a hand.
And as fires spread from Wednesday into the weekend, Qantum Communications stations went ahead and started collecting funds for the Horry County Red Cross all day Friday at Coastal Grand Mall. Our one-day take was in the neighborhood of $8,500.00.
Meanwhile, in our building, we'd heard rumblings of a proposed "all-encompassing" day-long fundraiser to be held today, but weren't really given details, and as it turns out, nor were we really invited to participate.
So if you're scarnning the dial or watching local TV and wondering why Mix 97.7, Gator 107.9, 104.9 Bob-FM or Rock 107 isn't "involved" in this fundraiser, it's because we weren't invited.
Well, let me clarify... another radio group's manager DID call our office - and spoke to one of our front office personnel with very vague details - and little else. He didn't call a station manager (we have four of 'em), he didn't call our operations manager or our general manager. He blurted out vague info about a "possible" fundraising effort - to the first person who answered the phone. Some effort.
So you ask - "why would somebody want to purposely not include a group of radio station from doing good for the community?" I'll tell ya... it's because his company sold one of his stations ot us, and he's kind of been prickish to us ever since.
Here's an idea, dude... if you want to be angry that your company sold a station to us - be angry AT your company, not us. Your bruised ego MIGHT have gotten in the way of doing good in the community. I say MIGHT have, because your little power play failed, and failed miserably, because we VERY much want to do our part -and we're doing it anyway.
Today, Mix 97.7 and Rock 107 are at Wal-Mart in Surfside until 6pm; Gator 107.9 and 104.9 BOB-FM are in Conway in front of Beef O'Brady's until 6, collecting funds for the Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.
Oh, and meanwhile, karma's a mother... where the other stations and TV media are raising money, the highways leading to it were all closed until around 9am this morning. This isn't a competition, and i hope they raise TONS of money there, but if we'd been invited, one of the concerns we'd have brought up in this meeting we weren't privvy to attending was - shouldn't we be in more than one location, and maybe not in a spot that would be ineccessible because of early morning fog/smoke closing highways?
But because one guy has an axe to grind, our presence wasn't welcome, and our input wasn't given.
That won't stop Qantum from doing it's part when the community needs us - heck, we're even bringing the money we raise TO those who're collecting for the other stations. To us, it's not about recognition, seeing our logos in the paper or on the TV - it's about doing for others, or (and I direct this to one person in particular) putting the needs of the many ahead of your personal interests.
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