Dear KPTZ friends,
This is a long overdue letter to let you know about progress in building KPTZ’s new home in Makers Square at Fort Worden – almost as overdue as construction itself! Yet before discussing our monumental project, I’d first like to say I hope you and yours are doing okay. Our lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic, compounded by social and political upheaval, and I think all of us are feeling challenged.
The development of our new home at Fort Worden has been a complex and complicated process. When COVID-19 shut nearly everything down last March, it also shut down all construction at Fort Worden’s Makers Square for three months. Very little work had been done on our space by then – just some rough framing of studios. When construction resumed in June, Fort Worden was a different place. The collapse of the hospitality industry due to the virus crippled the Fort Worden PDA, our building partner in the Makers Square project.
Yet our new home is taking shape quickly now, and we expect a certificate of occupancy by the end of December. It is very exciting seeing KPTZ’s new home emerging!
I am incredibly proud of our station for its dedication to serving the community during this global public health crisis. With rigid safety protocols at our Mountain View station, our deejays and talk show hosts have continued to provide solace and joy through music, as well as pertinent information to help us cope with the pandemic challenge. Our volunteer news team has greatly expanded our local news service, a trend I hope will continue to grow as we move into our Makers Square facility.
Yet the pandemic is having a severe impact on KPTZ’s budget because we are not able to conduct the traditional on-air fund drives that provide 80% of our income. Community radio probably has the worst business plan around: Through great effort and cost we produce a quality product that we eagerly give away for free, 24 hours every day. Losing our major fundraising tool is potentially crippling.
I must ask you to help us bridge our pandemic funding gap.
Our plans for growing new services in our new home are ambitious, but we can only realize those plans with your support. I know it is not an easy time for anyone, and for many people the pandemic has had devastating economic impacts; but if you are able to make a contribution to KPTZ, even a modest contribution, we shall appreciate it gratefully.
Online donations can be made by clicking the Donate Now! button above; we also appreciate contributions through mail to the address below. Enrolling in recurring payments, like a subscription, is extremely helpful for our budgeting, and also we can accept stock/certificate donations. Please contact us if you need any further information to make your donation.
Thank you ever so much for your time, and hopefully for your contribution. Stay safe and well, and we’ll see you on the other side of the pandemic!
Cheers,
Robert Ambrose
President, KPTZ Board of Directors
Host, Rhythm Connection, Tues 1-3