When it comes to advocating government subsidies of National Public Radio (NPR), I stay neutral on the topic. This is because after listening to NPR for nearly 30 years, I am confident it is a venue that can support and sustain itself.

Here, in our hometown of Fayetteville, we are extremely lucky to have our own NPR station, WFSS, located on the campus of Fayetteville State University. We are even luckier to live in a community that appreciates the contributions WFSS makes locally. After all, WFSS (91.9 FM), has been our hometown NPR radio station for 34 years, continually growing and providing useful local and national news, interviews with community and business leaders and supporting its neighbors who are making a difference by contributing to our quality of life.

This month, WFSS has its semi-annual fund drive. As this area’s weekly community newspaper, we intend to support this effort and hope our readers will also.

The entire station operates on donations. Over the years it has proven to be a good investment and the money raised by WFSS directly benefits the listeners by providing NPR programming, quality local programming and community outreach.

Local is the key word here. It does get rather confusing in this part of North Carolina. There are 16 public radio stations in our state and each one is independently owned and operated. Each must raise its own funds and no money is shared between them. No one NPR station represents all the public radio stations in our state. That means contributions to WFSS in support of public radio here in our neighborhood must be contributed locally. That is not to say WFSS doesn’t have a broad reach.

WFSS broadcasts into 13 counties in southeastern North Carolina, covering a 60-mile radius. Joe Ross, Kathy Klaus, Janet Wright and the entire staff live and work in this community. They are professionals and are committed to every market they serve, including: Fayetteville, Spring Lake, Hope Mills, Fort Bragg, Raeford, Sanford, Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Lumberton, Clinton, Dunn and Elizabethtown.

Need I say more about this wonderful media outlet? Yes. A special thank you to the Cumberland Community Foundation Inc., for challenging the NPR listening audience and WFSS team to bring in new members and to encourage lapsed members to come back. The CCF will match every basic membership pledge of $60 or more. Now, that’s a commitment!

Below, I have listed the many ways you can support this valuable asset to our community. You can’t beat “free!” Tune in and let’s keep public radio in the Fayetteville community. Contributions can be made by calling 672-1621 or 1-800-245-9377. You may also pledge online at www.wfss.org or you may mail your pledge to WFSS, 1200 Murchison Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28301, ATTN: Fall Fund Drive.

Tell them that your favorite community newspaper, Up & Coming Weekly, recommended them.