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WCPE News

Dear Friend of WCPE,

Our sincere "Thanks!" for being a loyal WCPE listener and a bigger "THANKS!" if you've just responded to my earlier letter. We appreciate your support of classical music and public radio, because without you there would be no beautiful music on 89.7 FM or TheClassicalStation.org.

Please take a moment to think about what WCPE and The Classical Station mean to you.

Your personal support of our services helps others in a meaningful way, and accomplishes something good by making classical music available -- not just in this holiday season -- but every day of the year. What a wonderful and simple gift, that so many can enjoy!

Do something special for yourself and for others by supporting Great Classical Music!

Yes, your personal donation will reach out and benefit hundreds, even thousands, of people in our community -- people of all ages and from all walks of life who listen to this station every hour of the day and night -- people such as Joanne who writes:

"Consistently beautiful music - any time, day or night. I am working 2 jobs and going to school. When I'm through, I pledge much more support, as it will be a pleasure to give back for all the enjoyment I've received. Thank You!" Cary, NC.

Whether you realize it or not, YOU'VE helped many people, even though you've never met them, because your membership support makes our 24 hour classical music broadcasts possible. I recall one very special letter we received years ago, but because of the special situation, let me just tell you what they said without giving a name or city:

"My cousin received an experimental, super-power hearing aid. Since age 3 she hasn't been able to really hear sound, its nuances, pitches, intonations. She put it on and followed the first sound she heard to the barn where the cows were mooing. Then, she heard music, a radio playing to soothe the cows. Music to her has always been vibrations; she'd never heard classical music before. She broke down and cried; it was your station."

WCPE was there because of you.

When you support WCPE and The Classical Station, you do something special! Your gift reaches out and touches people you'll never meet; people from all walks of life who listen to our station all across the Nation and even all over the world! Your gift to WCPE does something good for others every day of the year!

Your Gift helps make this world a better place.

To many across the Nation (especially this young woman) Great Classical Music is a new and wonderful experience, and fulfills a need that is worthy of your support. And I'll bet you can think of someone else, someone you know, for whom our 24- hour-a-day broadcasting is a real friend.

Your Membership support is the only thing that makes our 24 hour classical music broadcasts possible on WCPE and The Classical Station.

We don't receive any financial support from the county, the state, a school system, or the Federal Government. We are 100% independently supported -- independently by listeners like you!

Do something special by supporting Great Classical Music on WCPE!

WCPE is more than just another public station; it is one of your choice. And TheClassicalStation.org on the net is becoming a more important choice, because classical music on the radio, around the clock, and around the country, isn't that common anymore.

Unfortunately, too many stations which had played classical music are moving away from this great art form. They've made decisions to shift to more "popular" programming formats.

WCPE and The Classical Station need your continuing advocacy and your continuing help to ensure that we will be free of economic pressures which might detract from the Great Classical Music which is so rare and endangered in today's music "wilderness". And remember, we share our music with other public stations without cost or obligation; we help them, too:

"Your wonderful station covers for ours after 11 PM and through 6 AM in the morning. Our station is KCSC in Edmond, Oklahoma. Finding a classical station to listen to is very rare lately. We must support the stations that do carry our music." Emily in Oklahoma

Your faithful support enables us to grow and expand our reach to make WCPE available to many who've never had access to Great Classical Music before. Your good word will tell more people across the Nation about TheClassicalStation.org and help us increase the number of people who listen to us, because they will join with you and become tomorrow's supporters.

Both your financial help and your advocacy by telling others about The Classical Station help Great Classical Music continue and thrive on this station.

You may know that at least sixty cable systems and smaller public radio stations and relay stations are rebroadcasting us. I'm really not sure what the exact number is, because we offer the service freely, and do not require that stations "register" with us.

A teacher in Peru showed his students how to build a satellite dish from old parts. They listened to WCPE during the school day. You may remember the requests from Machu Picchu during the Saturday Evening Request Program, but not recently. Rebels wrecked the dish, destroyed his school, and worst of all, murdered the teacher. (I believe they call themselves "The Shining Light".)But the children will remember their teacher and his music.

That music was your gift to them ... what more can I say about the importance of making Great Classical Music available to all we can? I've told of people in hospitals listening to WCPE to help ease their pain, of those who write thanking WCPE for being there the first lonely night after their spouse dies, back in 2001 when children turned to WCPE for the first time in their lives because all they saw on television were airplanes crashing into buildings -- you helped them.

There are good times, too -- the uplifting moments that a familiar piece we play brings to you; the couple who timed their marriage to the Wedding March scheduled one Saturday; the girl who got an experimental hearing aid and from WCPE heard music for the first time -- you're part of stories like these -- and for every one we hear of, there are hundreds that we'll never know of.

This Good Comes Because of You and Your Generosity.

Please think about the great good that comes from your continuing support of WCPE, not only for you, but for others around the world. Do your part to preserve and protect your ability to hear Great Classical Music on WCPE and TheClassicalStation.org whenever you choose, whenever you need -- during times of inevitable sorrow, and during times of joy and happiness. Don't you want WCPE to be nearby?

As you look back on this year, think about all the enjoyment you've had from Great Classical Music on WCPE. Then make the important decision to help us and yourself in the new year by mailing your tax deductible gift today. Your gift will ensure that WCPE will be there for you whenever you want to listen, and others, too:

"Thank you for the creative and professional classical music sent via streaming audio. I listen every day at my home office and many mention how wonderfully relaxing it is." Bob in Newton, CT

"I wanted to once again express my appreciation for your radio station. It continues to be a blessing in its art form in a classical and a traditional manner. You are to be commended for your steadfastness to this purpose and I trust that it will continue for a long time. I believe you are making a contribution at this time in our immediate society, that perpetuates better hopes and purposes for music. I pray that supporters will step forward."

The gentleman who said this about WCPE has helped us with his testimonials over the air before, so I don't mind telling you this was from Professor John Hope Franklin, Durham, NC. (Regrettably, Professor Franklin passed away earlier this year).

Classical Music helps us Every Day of our Lives:

Most of us hear some classical music while we're still quite young, but that doesn't diminish the impact great music can make on our lives. I still have a letter from years ago that I kept:

"Thank you for three years of beautiful music. My two boys were rocked to sleep nightly with WCPE. Many hours spent nursing and holding sick kids in the middle of the night made me thank my lucky stars we lived in Raleigh with such a wonderful station playing music to soothe our souls. My older son is two-and-a-half; when a particular classical piece strikes his fancy he sometimes stops in his tracks and "conducts" -- standing with a pencil or stick and moving his arms and hands with such grace!" Len, in Raleigh, NC

Too many others take WCPE much too lightly:

In October, we had our fall fund drive, and many caring listeners pledged, but by far more listeners didn't. You've helped us, and I thank you VERY much for that. But if you have a friend who hasn't, please tell them what this local businessman had to say: "We're spoiled. We're used to tuning in WCPE and there it is, but similar radio stations don't exist in other communities. If it went off the air, people would definitely notice. Too often, WCPE is taken for granted."

So Tell Your Friends the Facts about WCPE and The Classical Station:

Far too many think someone else will give to WCPE instead. Nine out of ten listen but never take the time to make that pledge, thinking that someone else will make a pledge in their stead. They think that like many school and college stations, we must get state and federal money, so they feel that they've done their part.

Tell your friends we're a special community radio station. Tell them WCPE is 100% -- totally -- listener supported. Help them understand that everyone who listens to WCPE needs to help with the costs! That's the whole point of listener-supported community radio!

Gifts to this station are tax deductible!

Even more so, remember that in just a few days, you'll be thinking about getting your IRS 1040 computer program! And you must participate one way or the other. But you can have some control over the taxes you pay, because when you contribute to our station, you can convert taxable income into charitable deductions and lessen your tax liability.

And, when you GIVE a gift to WCPE, you GET a gift, too. The gift you give is your financial support. The gifts you receive are Great Classical Music and a lower tax liability. But it's best to act now, before December 31st. You might even consider using this opportunity to "accelerate" a 2010 gift into 2009 for the tax advantages it could give you.

What if you don't fuss with "THE TAX GAME"?

Your gift will still help make classical music available every moment of the year! Your personal support of WCPE enhances the quality life for each one of us by making classical music available 24/7/365 across North Carolina on 89.7 FM, on all of our mini-transmitters, and across the Nation and around the world on TheClassicalStation.org.

That's why I am asking you today to reaffirm your WCPE Membership with an extra gift (as generous as you see fit). Especially if you haven't made a donation recently, please give last-minute consideration to helping with your "end of the tax year" gift before New Years Eve.

Your gift will make a difference -- for you and for others.

Also, many employers offer a Matching Gift plan -- it's easy to double or triple the benefit of your donation just by filling out your employer's matching gift form and mailing it to WCPE.

Listener Supported Community Radio is worthy of your support!

Thank You!

Sincerely,


Deborah S. Proctor
General Manager

PS: If you haven't helped WCPE recently, please reconsider today. Don't ignore this opportunity and lose the chance of a tax deduction for 2009! Your last minute gift will help us maintain our quality broadcasts in 2010. Take a look at the thank you gifts in the accompanying flyer, and act now while you've got this material in your hands, either through the mail, or via the web at TheClassicalStation.org..

Thank you so very much for all you do for WCPE!