The special Sunday not only provides an opportunity for interested individuals to learn more about the station’s ministry, but also to financially support the operation. This year, KICY is suggesting that every person participating in worship in an Evangelical Covenant Church donate $1 on that day.
KICY serves more than 40 villages in Western Bush Alaska and more in the Russian Far East. The station’s audience continues to grow, says General Manager Dennis Weidler. He notes that they continue to get prayer requests from people in villages farther away than before. Some places that receive the station have little access to any other media.
Also increasing is the cost of operation, even though the station is staffed largely with volunteers. Home heating oil is nearly $6 a gallon. To power the newly built 50,000-watt AM system alone costs more than $12,000 a month, Weidler notes.
Although KICY has set October 26 for the special offering, Weidler says anytime through November 23 would be helpful to the station.
The station began broadcasting April 17, 1960. KICY is operated by Arctic Broadcasting Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit, affiliated corporation of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Alaska.
