JASON PARKS

Things will be slightly different on the local airwaves this weekend when  99.3 County FM, Prince Edward County’s member-owned, volunteer operated, not-for-profit community radio station hosts their annual Radiothon.

Great local musical acts coming together to perform and entertain listeners  in support of the station has been a mainstay of the pervious events and that won’t change this year however the live portion of the Radiothon will be interspersed with recorded performances to ensure proper social distancing.

The event kicks off Thursday morning and winds up Sunday. In years past, the entire event has been hosted from the studios on Cold Storage Rd with live music in the studios as well as a makeshift stage in the parking lot.

While the four-day fundraising celebration, which raises funds to keep the station growing and on the air,  will still feature performances by more than 40 local artists, the performances will be a mix of live in-studio performances and a collection of pre-recorded sets produced in a Covid-safe environment at Back 40 Productions on Highway 49.

“Our goal, throughout this trying time, has been to keep the station safely on the air, to entertain and to inform people.  Our newsteam and the on-air hosts work together to ensure information about the pandemic is accurate and practical. The way our many volunteers and the core support staff have responded to this new normal—including remote broadcasting from home, thanks to the generosity of donors—has been inspiring,” said County FM General Manager Craig Mills.

The Honourary Chair for the event is local family physician Dr. Elizabeth Christie of the Prince Edward Family Health Team. Dr Christie is the lead physician of the PEFHT and is the co- director of the PEC COVID-19 Assessment Centre together with Dr. Sarah Le Blanc.

“County FM has been a great asset to the community during the Covid-19 crisis, not just for getting people accurate and timely information about how to deal with the pandemic, but also for keeping spirits up, and keeping people connected during this time of isolation,” Dr. Christie said.

County FM Board Chair Jim J.J. Johnston added the organization is  honoured Dr. Christie has joined the Radiothon Team as Honourary Chair.

“Dr. Christie has been an inspiration throughout this crisis, and has shown a level of professionalism in her work that we at County FM aspire to every day. We are an essential service, never more so than in these past four months. We need your support more than every right now,” Johnson said.

Confirmed performers for the Radiothon to date are: Aaron Nash, Annalise Norohna, Astrid Young, Becky Elliott, Ben Vandergaast, Bill McBurney, Bill Wood, Brian Legere, Craig Foster, Cue The Funk, Dan Dayton, David James Allen, Deb O Connor, Emily Fennell, Gavin Massey, Grace Bongard, Greg Hinde, Instant Rivalry, Jenica Rayne, Jeremy Kelly, Jordan Thomas (Moon Sugar), Kashka, Lenni Stewart, Lindsay Ferguson, Lisa Boskivic, Mike Farrell, Norris and Jones, Peter Rae, Rita Di Ghent, Robert Keyes, Robyn Scott, Scott Maybee, Seventh Town, Spring Awakening Cast, Stephen Stanley, Telegraph Narrows, The Frere Brothers, The Kitchen Family, Tony Forbes, Travis Hammel, Untitled – Jazz Poetry

Thanks to the relaxation of the rules on gatherings, local band Cue the Funk were able to gather and preform a set of songs and that session will kick off Thursday morning’s portion of Radiothon 2020

Donations throughout the four day Radiothon broadcast can be made online at www.993countyfm.ca or by phone at 1-855-Get-2-993  (1-855-438-2993).