12-21-2011
Big River Broadcasting in Florence Alabama, behind morning man, Johnny Law, started a food drive 4 years ago to help those less fortunate during the holidays. Since he started helping the community, Law has raised over 17,000 pounds of non-perishable food items. Over the years, Law has come up with some very creative ideas to help the community.
This year Law was handcuffed and arrested live on the air. He was taken to Tuscumbia, Alabama city jail where he was photographed, printed, and processed into the system. He spent 3 days and nights in jail and endured the exact same conditions as the inmates. He had to abide by all policies and procedures of the facility, and no special treatment was awarded to him outside of the following exceptions: A laptop computer and a cell phone to be used to communicate with radio personalities during their air shifts and KIX listeners via social networks.
Listeners were encouraged to submit Visa type gift cards, in whatever amount they deemed appropriate, rather than non-perishable food items. Gift cards could be dropped off at the radio station, or at the Jail. Listeners that chose to stop by the jail were able to submit their donation and visit with Johnny during his visitation hours.
After Johnny was released, he along with one station member (Mid day personality Josie Lane) added up the donations. They went shopping together to gather equal amounts of food that were divided between 8 Church pantries in our area that submitted to receive the food. (Pantries were chosen in the order they were received). This turned out to be a great promotion for us and an even greater thing for the families in need during the Holidays in our area. Our Digital Department, BRB Digital, streamed the entire event live and you can view footage from the stream here.
Since his food drives inception, Johnny has offered up annual, goal- related challenges to KIX96 listeners each year. For example, in 2009, he announced on the air that he would tattoo the name and/or logo of the first business that pledged 5,000 pounds of Non-Perishable food items. Jerry Phillips, owner of Big River Broadcasting was the first to pledge; hence the reason why Johnny now sports a Big River Broadcasting/Sun Records logo on his arm. Johnny is on record as stating that he has a "difficulty with hunger issues that seem to plague this great Country of ours and will go to whatever lengths necessary in an attempt to combat this ongoing dilemma.
Our thanks to Halley Phillips (halley@brbdigital.com) Director of Digital Marketing for Big River for sending us this story.
Is your station doing something special to help the community?
Tell us all about it. Send details (and photos) to edryan@radioink.com
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