Spring FunDrive Donor Contest!
Here at CVCR, every fundrive donor is a winner in our books. By giving before March 23 to the fundrive, many of you, will actually win something too (check it out)! It just makes it more fun, and it is another way we try to show our gratitude to each and every one of you listener donors.
Thanks to local artist Diana Clark for this great sticker design!
We appreciate every single dollar and put it all toward keeping the station sounding great. With your help, we will meet every goal of the 2025 Spring FunDrive, especially that $20,000 big goal.
There are lots of ways to give:
Go to the drive website and donate by credit card, venmo, PayPal or more.
Or on the drive site pledge a check and then send it made out to “CVCR” and mail it to the station at WGDR, 123 Pitkin Rd. Plainfield, VT 05667.
Every donor who gives by March 23 will be entered to win a prize or receive a perk!
All donors will get a copy of our full-color updated programming schedule.
A gift of $250 or more, will snag you anything of your choice from our swag shop!
A gift of $50 or more gets you a brand new, limited edition “CVCR Tower” sticker. Show it off! Sticker design by local artist Diana Clark.
All donors who give during our two-week drive will be entered to win prizes donated by Vermont businesses and organizations. Tickets to shows like:
The Simon & Garfunkel Story at the Flynn Theater - Sat. April 26
Waxahatchee - Presented by Higher Ground at Shelburne Museum - Mon. June 23
Carmen Lagala at the Vermont Comedy Club - Fri. & Sat., April 11 & 12
The Lords of 52nd Street at the Barre Opera House - Saturday, April 5
Stephane Wrembel Quartet - UVM Lane Series - Friday, April 25
Show incentives: Tune in to hear more!
We will also have individual show incentives for giving levels. Tune in to hear more!
CVCR Contest Rules
Anyone who donated online or by check dated during our Spring FunDrive, March 7-23, will be entered to win one of the incentive prizes donated from local businesses and organizations. You must donate during the dates of the fundrive to be eligible to win. Per station policy, no paid staff, programmers, volunteers, board, or contractors are eligible to win.
Any questions can be sent to the Station Manager, Llu Mulvaney-Stanak at Llu@WGDR.org or at (802) 276-0365.
Thank you for supporting WGDR/WGDH!
H.307 - A New VT Community Radio Grant Program
This session the Vermont Legislature is considering a new bill to establish a VT Community Radio Network Grant program. This bill would provide one-time state grant funding for all 10 community radio stations in Vermont to help us upgrade our broadcast gear to be ready for emergency response in our areas. The bill currently in the house, H.307, is under committee review, but we need your help letting your local Representatives know about the bill now and to support it. Learn more by clicking through.
Updated February 26:
The Vermont Legislature is considering a new bill to establish a VT Community Radio Network Grant program. This bill would provide one-time state grant funding for all 10 community radio stations in Vermont to help us upgrade our broadcast gear to be ready for emergency response in our areas. This currently is set at $250,000 to be divided amongst the stations as grants, from the Vermont Public Safety Department via the Vermont Association of Broadcasters.
Updated: Wed. Feb. 26: The bill is now in the House, H.307, is under House Appropriations Committee review.
Now is the time for our listeners and friends of community radio to help lawmakers know how much these stations matter, especially in the more rural parts of our state. From our everyday hyper-local programming to our ability to respond in the moment to emergencies, community radio is made by Vermonters for Vermonters.
Please consider contacting your local State Representative to ask them to support this funding! No matter where you listen from in Vermont, and make sure they know to look for H.307 and to support this funding as it comes through the House Appropriations Budget process. Find your Representatives’ contact information at: https://legislature.vermont.gov/.
You can also reach out to the House Appropriations Committee and let them know you support this line item for VT Community Radio Grant Program. Information here: https://legislature.vermont.gov/committee/detail/2026/9
You can call the statehouse to leave a message for a representative or committee at: (802) 828-2228.
What WGDR/WGDH would use this grant for:
For WGDR, Plainfield, and WGDH, Hardwick, we’d use this funding to move the WGDR antenna to a higher point in Plainfield to increase our FCC-approved broadcast reach into Montpelier, Barre, and other areas we’ve been spotty for 50+ years. For WGDH, we’d replace the antenna line (a key repair!) and upgrade the transmitter, among other needed infrastructure fixes. These are critical upgrades for both stations that would have lasting impacts for many years to come. A very good investment of public funding.
We will continue to update listeners on the status of this bill as the legislative session continues.
Thank you for your support on this!
The community radio stations in Vermont currently on the air are:
· WBTV-LP, Burlington, 99.3 FM
· WFVR-LP, South Royalton, 96.5 FM
· WGDR, Plainfield, 91.1 FM & WGDH, Hardwick, 91.7 FM
· WMRW-LP, Warren, 94.5 FM
· WOMM-LP, Burlington, 105.9 FM
· WOOL-FM, Bellows Falls, 91.5 FM
· WVEW-LP, Brattleboro 107.7 FM
The new community LPFM stations being built this year are:
● Bristol, WVVT-LP
● Ludlow, WLUD-LP
● Richmond/Underhill/Jericho, WRUJ-LP
Congrats, Station Award Winners!
We have a tradition of recognizing the folks who have done outstanding things in the past year to move the station forward. Nominated and voted on by their peers, programmers, and volunteers were awarded in three categories for 2024’s Best in Show, Niftiest Newbie, and Vitalist Volunteer. The winners were…
Last year we started a new tradition at the station recognizing folks who have done outstanding things in the past year to move the station forward. Nominated and voted on by their peers, programmers, and volunteers were awarded in three categories: Best in Show, Niftiest Newbie, and Vitalist Volunteer.
Awarded in late December and presented with custom engraved radio microphone trophies, the winners were presented their awards by the previous year’s awardee.
Vitalist Volunteer 2024: Mark Michaelis
Awarded for outstanding work on behalf of the station in a volunteer capacity. The nominees were volunteers Charles Rossell, Bill Hahn, Delia Gillen, Mark Michaelis, and Dave Tucker.
Mark was recognized for his four years as CVCR’s first board chair, and volunteer of all trades as Chief Operator, co-Music Director, and lots of things in between. Last year’s winner was Dave Tucker.
Niftiest Newbie 2024: Stranger & Deininger
Awarded to the most excellent new show to come on the air this year. Nominees were Stranger & Deininger, Spiral Galaxy, Discoverances, Jagler Katz Worm Hole, Listen Up, Soul Joy, and Audio Ergo Sum.
Tosh Deininger’s show Stranger & Deninger won for its infusing of local folks’ life stories through music. A wonderful hour of community radio, every Thursday from 11am-noon. Please note, the show is on a brief radiobattical until May! Last year’s winner was Magpie in the Morning with Delia.
Best in Show 2024: Barndance Bluegrass
Awarded for doing a mighty fine community radio show, bringing the best of what we got to give on the air. The nominees were Barndance Bluegrass, Relocalizing Vermont, Xav Wax, Geezer Rock, the Meltdown, Jagler Katz Worm Hole, Deep Blues, Still Life with Cloud Soda, Boxful of Blues, Future Reflections, Relocalizing Vermont, and Acoustic Harmony.
Barndance Bluegrass is exactly how a week should end and a weekend should start. Mixing family banter, bluegrass, and a different barn location every week into a truly mighty fine community radio show enjoyed from the mountain tops to the valleys and well beyond the borders of Vermont. Last year’s winner was Curse of the Golden Turnip.
Congrats to all our nominees and winners, thanks for all you do on the air and beyond.
Call for new station art!
We’re looking for art pitches for two station items this year — a new sticker and a limited edition block print design. We’ll use these stickers all year long as station freebies, thank yous, and more. The winning pitches will get $100 for their design.
Click through to read the specs for each project and how to submit by Friday, February 15.
This is a call for artists far and wide!
We’re looking for art pitches for two station items this year - a new sticker and a limited edition block print design.
We’ll use these stickers all year long as station freebies, thank yous, and more. The limited block print will be part of our fundrive donor incentives, starting in March for the spring fundrive and again in October. This is a nice thank you to donors who give a certain amount. We’re excited to partner with the new print shop, Hard Pressed in Danville on this project.
We will provide a modest artist stipend for the winning pitch for both projects of $100 each. The design will become fair use for the station for any purpose, but the artist can retain use as well (portfolios, etc.). This work will be seen far and wide, and will credit the artist in all the places we use the art!
To submit a pitch please scroll down to see the sticker and, further down, the block print specs.
We’re looking for designs that capture the power of community radio and the uniqueness of WGDR and WGDH. We are particularly looking to uplift visual Vermont artists with this project, so please no submissions from out of state. Cartoonists, block printers, drawers, doodlers, go for it!
Send your one design idea, per project (ex. one sticker design), along with a very brief blurb about you, your work, and any helpful links to Llu@WGDR.org by Friday, February 14. We’ll ask programmers and listeners to vote on the winning designs, via our website, and announce the winning pitches by February 28.
Feel free to reach out to Llu with any questions too and spread the word to your arty friends!
For sticker design ideas: we need a print-ready, digital design. This can be either hand-drawn and well-scanned to a digital copy or a digitally designed graphic. It can be black and white or color. The image should be within a 4” by 4” design area (nothing much smaller than that). It can be a die-cut design (cut out like our 50th edition cows were (see below) or a traditional square or rectangle design. These are meant to be true, fun sticker art and do not need to have our logo incorporated. The sticker does need to include the following text: Central Vermont Community Radio, WGDR at 91.1 FM, WGDH at 91.7 FM, and WGDR.org. Besides that, have fun with it!
For the block print design ideas: these need to be able to be easily hand cut into a print block at the print shop, either by the originating artist or someone replicating the original design by carving. The more intricate, the more we encourage the artist to do the carving too (please!). This can be a one ink print or multiple inks and should also include the basic lettering text of: Central Vermont Community Radio, WGDR at 91.1 FM and WGDH at 91.7 FM, and WGDR.org. We’re looking for a mailable size of a print piece, so something just under the standard 8”x11” would be ideal. See the fabulous print Mary Azarian did for us for our 30th below as one block print example.
What’s up with all the disclaimers?
One of the biggest protections we have to protect the station licenses and be compliant with FCC policy is the use of a station disclaimer. This allows a programmer to share their views but does not necessarily represent the station’s position on any matter. A disclaimer is a neutral statement that reminds all listeners - including the FCC in a review - that the station has a neutral position as a media outlet.
Hey listeners!
As you know, nationally things are changing at a rapid pace, with various public institutions being challenged, threatened with funding cuts, and more actions. Community radio, by design, is meant to protect free speech and give all of us access to the airwaves, free of censorship or other threats to an individual or a station. And yet, all our stations hold federal licenses from the FCC, which can be pulled for review at any time due to complaints or challenges to a station fulfilling its duties and obligations to FCC policies.
One of the biggest protections we have to protect the license and be compliant with FCC policy is the use of a station disclaimer. This allows a programmer to share their views but does not necessarily represent the station’s position on any matter. A disclaimer is a neutral statement that reminds all listeners - including the FCC in a review - that the station has a neutral position as a media outlet.
So, you will hear us using the disclaimer - “The following (or preceding) program presents the opinion of its participants and producer. It does not reflect the official opinion of WDGR-WGDH or its licensee, Central Vermont Community Radio." - for every show - talk, and music. This will ensure that any potentially objectionable content aired during a show - local or syndicated too - is not presumed to be the position of the license holder, Central Vermont Community Radio.
Thank you for your patience with this new practice on the air. We are trying to keep it mixed up and creatively used during a show - still protecting us, but lessening the potential annoyance factor.
Most importantly, thank you for listening to and supporting this vital public institution of community radio!
New Online Listening Experience
As part of our dedication to improving the reliability of station and overall listener experience, we are transitioning our live stream and archive (on-demand) listening platforms to new services as of February 1, 2025. Most live streamers won’t notice the difference and the archive interface will just look a little different.
The direct link (for internet radio devices or other needs) is: https://wgdr.broadcasttool.stream/wgdr_128
As part of our dedication to improving the reliability of station systems and the overall listener experience, we are transitioning our live stream and archive (on-demand) listening platforms to new services as of February 1, 2025. Our past services frequently dropped out with no notification or, often, clear cause, and were sometimes out for hours or even days. We’ve vetted, tested, and are excited to integrate with two new service providers to improve online listening. We welcome feedback or comments about this change (or if you find something to not be working!): Llu@WGDR.org.
Livestream
To listen online most listeners won’t notice the difference! Just click the “listen live” anywhere on our website and the stream will start.
For internet radio listeners (with an internet radio device), you will need to enter in the new direct URL to your settings:
https://wgdr.broadcasttool.stream/wgdr_128
Archives
To listen back to past shows, go to our schedule page and you will see a new WGDR/WGDH archive player at the top of the schedule and at the top of all show pages. To listen to a specific show, enter in the date and time it starts and hit green play. You can also click on that show, in the weekly schedule, and go to the show page to listen to the most recent show. To go back two weeks, enter in the date and time of the show, wherever you see the archive play box. To fast forward, enter in a few minutes ahead in the playbox, like 10:15am. We no longer can “scrub” fast-forward by a few minutes, but that was technically illegal anyway, so we’re happy to be compliant now as part of this change!
