LEWIS AND CLARK RADIO STUDENTS GIVING 89.9 HOURS

(GODFREY September 9, 2008) � For the 11th year in a row, two students from Lewis and Clark Community College will be giving local children the gift of time� 89.9 hours to be precise.

Lewis and Clark Community College�s Radio Station, WLCA 89.9 FM, will hold its annual �89.9 Hours of Christmas� to raise money for the Alton Boys and Girls� Club beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 and running through 11:54 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 22.

The students of the Radio Broadcasting program at Lewis and Clark are currently out in the community raising money from local businesses for the 89.9-hour marathon. The program has also teamed up with Riverbender.com this year to raise funds online.

The money they raise will then be used to take a group of about 50 children from the Alton Boys and Girls� Club on a shopping trip prior to Christmas. Money raised will also be used to throw a Christmas party for the younger members of the club.

Over the past 10 years, more than $45,000 has been raised by the students for the Boys and Girls� Club.

Photo Caption: David Ollenbittle, left, and Daniel White are the two students who have been selected to host the 89.9 hour marathon on WLCA 89.9 FM. The marathon will raise funds for the Alton Boys' and Girls' Club. This year Riverbender.com is assisting the station with its fundraising efforts by allowing individuals and businesses to make contributions to the fundraisers through www.riverbender.com

�The great benefit of this fundraiser is that it not only helps area children, but it also involves all of the students from the Radio Broadcasting program,� Mass Communication Coordinator/Station Manager Mike Lemons said. �All of the students look forward to this campaign each year, and they all work hard, obtaining donations from local businesses for this charitable cause.�

Although all of the students are involved in the pursuit of the goal, two students will be selected to remain on the air, playing music and providing talk segments for the entire 89.9 hours. This year the two students selected are David Ollenbittle, 27 of Godfrey, and Daniel White, 20 of Jerseyville.

�I�m pretty excited, because 89 hours is a big reason I came here,� White said. �I remember hearing it on the radio when I was younger, and thinking how cool it would be to be able to do it. The fact that it�s also for charity, just makes it that much cooler.�

Lemons said that students sleep in shifts and are allowed to leave the building only to use the shower facilities in a neighboring building. �The other Radio Broadcasting students usually come in to bring the two students food, and local businesses have also been kind enough in the past to provide the food for the two on-air students.�

During the broadcast the students will host a number of different contests with a variety of prizes to be won. This year there are a number of special prizes that have been designed for the listeners of the radio station including gift certificates to Mojo�s Music in Edwardsville, restaurant gift certificates, Fox Theatre tickets, concert tickets, energy and soft drinks and autographed CD�s, posters and shirts.

The station will also be auctioning off a chance for listeners to co-host WLCA�s request shows: The Friday Night Drive-In and/or the Saturday Night Primer. Listeners will also have a chance to bid on an opportunity to sit in on live studio band performances that will also take place during the 89.9 hours.

Lemons said that those businesses that contribute to the fundraiser are mentioned on-air during the broadcast. Any business interested in contributing to the cause can contact Lemons at 618-468-4940, or anyone can make a contribution this year by logging on to www.riverbender.com, following the links from the top, left-hand side of the page.

�We are really excited about Riverbender�s involvement in this year�s fundraising drive,� Lemons said. �The site they designed is outstanding, and having their support will definitely enhance our fundraising initiative and will prove to be a big benefit to the Boys� and Girls� Club.�

John Hentrich, president of Riverbender.com said he was excited about Riverbender�s new partnership with WLCA. �89.9 hours is the first project we are going to work on together but we have identified several other areas where we think we can help each other,� he said. �I�m glad to donate our programming services and some promotion within Riverbender for such a good cause. I understand WLCA has done a great job for the Boys and Girls club in the past and we look forward to helping that effort any way that we can. The new page within Riverbender that features a related video, audio, and a �donate now� button, will all hopefully help to contribute to an even better Christmas gift this year.�

The station will also host a blood drive, in conjunction with the American Red Cross during the 89.9 hours. The drive will take place from 1-5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 20 at the top of the escalators in the Alton Square Mall.