Public radio station KMST at Missouri University of Science and Technology completed its nine-day fall membership drive on Sunday, Sept. 18. Although it fell short of its $70,000 goal, the membership drive was considered successful.

“We generated $65,295 in listener support, added 64 new members and saw an increase in the number of Charter Society members and corporate support,” says KMST General Manager Wayne Bledsoe. “I anticipate additional pledges over the next few weeks that should bring us very close to our goal. Thanks to the loyalty of our listeners nationwide, I see a bright future for public radio in south-central Missouri.”

KMST welcomed new and renewing members by phone and internet from south-central Missouri as well as Alaska, Alabama, Georgia, North Dakota, Montana and Florida.

As part of its mission to support other community projects, KMST also raised $2,880 for “Fill a Ford for the Holidays,” a food drive sponsored by Denny Ford of Rolla with collections going to area food pantries. For each membership pledge the station received during the drive, Phelps County Bank pledged $15 to “Fill a Ford.” KMST has held joint fundraising drives with Denny Ford in previous years, along with the Smile Mobile, Friday Backpack Program and Wounded Warriors.

In addition to financial support, KMST also gained valuable information from its members about programming preferences. This information is reviewed and programming decisions are based on the findings.

According to KMST Program Director John Francis, it’s vitally important that the station strive to reach its membership drive goals in order to fund existing programming.

“While we were just short of our membership goal this drive, our members showed great support toward the world-class programming we carry,” says Francis.

KMST held three separate drawings based on levels of investment. Dr. James Felts won an iPad 2 that was sponsored by the Public House Brewing Co. and the Missouri S&T Bookstore. Ashok Midha won a one-year membership to The Centre, Rolla’s health and recreation complex. Sarah Oerther won an Amazon Kindle that was sponsored by Avalon Photography Studio.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Missouri S&T are two of the largest funding sources for KMST. The station also receives support from more than 50 businesses that underwrite programming and dozens of volunteers who assisted before and during the drive.

This year’s drive included guest hosts Alan Clark, Sgt. Maj. Michael Horton, Ben Jones, John Butz, Kate Drowne, Bob Bell, Amy Beechner McCarthy, Loretta Wallis, Marty Watts, Luce Myers, Dan Oerther, Dennis Wilson, Mike Doyen, Bob Fossey, Denny LaBantschnig and Cindy Beger.

In its 38th year of service, KMST is a 100,000-watt non-commercial public radio station licensed to the Curators of the University of Missouri System.

KMST offers a mixed format of news from NPR, nationally and locally produced talk shows, and a wide range of music, including classical, jazz, acoustic folk, blues, big band, Celtic, bluegrass and Caribbean. KMST is located at 88.5 FM in and around the Rolla area, 96.3 FM in Lebanon, and is live-streamed online at www.kmst.org. Listeners may also follow the station on Facebook.

Pledges may still be phoned in to 573-341-4386 in the Rolla area, or toll-free at 888-776-5678, or online at KMST’s website, www.kmst.org.