KNOM: The Nome Static, October 2008

(Left) FR. ROSS TOZZI poses during a recent visit. He is the pastor of St. Nicholas Parish in North Pole, Alaska, near Fairbanks.

This past month, Fr. Ross sent a large contribution to KNOM along with a note that reads in part: “19 years ago…I arrived in Nome to begin my year of service to the Alaska Radio Mission little realizing the impact KNOM would have on the rest of my life.”

(Fr. Ross’ two volunteer years at KNOM turned out to be stepping stones on an unexpected path to the seminary.)

“With the enclosed check,” Fr. Ross continues, “my net pay for the month of August, I contribute the first of 20 months of financial support to KNOM as a stay at home support volunteer. A year from now will mark the 20th anniversary of my arrival in Nome and thus the idea of the pledge to continue this support over a 20 month period.

“I recognize others may not be in a situation to do something similar, but a few might be encouraged to make a similar commitment of a month’s salary over the course of the next year as KNOM faces financial challenges in these troubling and uncertain times.”

Fr. Ross, God bless you!

YOU CAN APPRECIATE our worries about the costs of fuel and electricity, which are proportionally much higher in western Alaska than they are in any other part of the United States.

Seven years ago, our costs for electric power and all utilities for the studio and volunteer dormitory were $65,847. This past year, they totaled a staggering $122,047, with $82,923 of that simply electricity for the mission’s 25,000 Watt transmitter.

You can imagine our shock when we were told to expect the cost of powering the transmitter alone to approach $100,000.

Thank you for staying with us. If they could, we know that our listeners would sincerely thank you also.

The oldest Catholic radio station in the United States, active and well, thanks to you.

INSPIRATIONAL SPOT: God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has assigned some work to me which He has not assigned to another.

I have my mission. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

He has not created me for nothing.

full size

top

WE WELCOME YOU TO MEET the newest member of the KNOM family, Danielle Sylvester (left).

Hailing from Buffalo, New York, Danielle is a 2008 graduate of Nazareth College in Rochester with a dual degree, communications/rhetoric and philosophy.

“This is a great opportunity in a place I’ve never been, doing something that relates to my degree and gives me valuable experience,” Danielle says.

She will serve as volunteer inspiration director as well as morning announcer.

“People here are amazingly friendly,” Danielle continues, “and there’s so much to learn. It’s going to be an exciting year.

“Everyone’s very dedicated to the mission and that’s very inspiring to me.”

Welcome, Danielle!

FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS, Leon T. Knauer of the law firm Wilkinson, Barker, Knauer, LLP has performed all of KNOM’s Washington, DC legal work entirely for free, working on behalf of, in Lee’s words, “one of the most outstanding broadcasting operations in the United States.”

Recently, we thanked him again, and he replied “the emergency, religious, news, educational, community and cultural programming your stations provide over a wide area of Alaska is unmatched. We are honored to have the opportunity to represent you.”

Please join us in prayer for Lee, his family, and everyone in his firm.

BOOKED AND PRINTED: He’s not only Alaska’s finest radio news director, he’s also a published author!

Congratulations to KNOM news director Paul Korchin, whose book, “Markedness in Canaanite and Hebrew Verbs,” is now on sale, ISBN number 1-57506-928-8.

Paul, who holds a PhD from Harvard University, conducts scholarly research in his spare time; this book raises ground-breaking questions about special endings on verbs in the ancient languages.

    INSPIRATIONAL SPOT:
     Praise Him in the morning ere the sun shows its light.

     Praise Him in the noontime when the day is at its height.

     Praise Him in the evening as the sun sets in the west.

     Praise Him through the night hours and in His Presence rest.

INSPIRATIONAL SPOT: Christ bids us bring His peace to the world.

We are called to pass on the healing we have experienced and the reconciliation we have been given so lavishly.

— Pope John Paul II

full size

top

IT’S A SQUEEZE! (left) Shortly before returning to college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Nick Schmidt ponders how to fit his 76-inch frame into the 37-inch crawl space between KNOM’s first and second floors.

Nick was running computer network cables, and somehow, he succeeded!

The son of KNOM general manager Ric Schmidt and business manager Lynette Schmidt, Nick is studying computer science, having cut his computer teeth at the mission in his early teens.

Today, he helps solve thorny problems. Thanks, Nick!

FORTY YEARS AGO: In October 1968, things look grim. The mission’s ham radio equipment has arrived, but there’s no one to set it up. About this time, there is no end in sight to the delay in Washington, DC paperwork for the new Catholic station, and volunteer engineer Paul Deiser leaves Nome.

The FCC eventually granted a Construction Permit on June 30, 1970.)

THIRTY YEARS AGO: October 16, 1978, KNOM announces the election of Pope John Paul II. Mission volunteer support nurse Trese Ptaszynski, RN quips “now for a Polish president.”

UP FOR THE COUNT: So far this year, KNOM has broadcast about 25,500 inspirational spots, and the same number of educational spots, too, thanks to your helping hand.

YOUR GENEROSITY and your prayers are what keep our mission alive. We honor you for your care and concern for the remote and largely impoverished families whom we serve. Until next time, please know that you, your intentions and those you love remain in our daily prayers. God bless!