[grc] Austin Airwaves assisting WHIV-lp in NOLA

[Jim Ellinger]

*Austin Airwaves President and Chief Engineer Jerry Chamkis passed away 
over the weekend after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. This radio 
project is named in his honor and memory.  jre*

*As many on this may recall, in February, 2020, AA was gearing up to 
head to a remote village in northern Malawi to establish /Radio Rumphy/, 
the last of the fourteen 'village stations' granted by the Malawian 
government. With great difficulty we raised funds, ordered equipment, 
and organized a travel itinerary. Then just a few weeks before 
departure, with airline tickets literally in hand, the airline industry 
and most of the world suddenly slammed shut. That was crushing. Long 
story short, we sent on all the money and equipment, and we got our 
tickets refunded. *

*Eventually the villagers of Rumphy managed to get their little station 
on the air on their own, with a lot of text assistance from AA. 
*https://www.facebook.com/RadioRumphy/ 
<https://www.facebook.com/RadioRumphy/>

*Generally speaking, AA waits to hear from a group or station asking for 
help. Such was the case when word reached us that NOLA was hit by yet 
another 'high-end' Category 4 Hurricane, Ida. WHIV-LP and much of the 
Big Easy had been "catastrophically impacted" on August 27^th , 2020. *

*Included in the damage was the single most expensive piece of equipment 
the station owned, a NAPE87A PWB model Nuatel FM transmitter, which 
suffered "catastrophic damage and will need a replacement," according to 
engineers. While the station has limped along since then, the costs of 
replacement are in the thousands.*

*Austin Airwaves is now raising funds to get the remarkable WHIV-LP back 
up to full strength and cover all of Midtown NOLA. All the funds raised 
during this brief, urgent fundraiser will go directly to the station. 100%*

*On December 3rd-5thanAA crew, including Mike August, (legendary former 
GM of KPFT in Houston and supporter of numerous stations, including 
Wimberley Valley Radio)will drive down to NOLA to take part in theirbig 
seventh anniversary event. As a part ofWHIV's celebration we will 
present the station with a large vinyl banner printed up with the 
WHIVandAA logosand YOUR NAME, prominently featured. 
*https://whivfm.org/events <https://whivfm.org/events>


*It was Mike, AA BoD President/Chief Engineer Jerry Chamkis and I that 
traveled to Wimberley in the days following their devastating, deadly 
flood (14 RIP) to put a rickety antenna on the Mayor's roof to sign on 
KWVH-lp on the air.*
https://features.texasmonthly.com/editorial/wimberley-floods-memorial-day-weekend-2015/ 
<https://features.texasmonthly.com/editorial/wimberley-floods-memorial-day-weekend-2015/>
https://www.facebook.com/wimberleyvalleyradio 
<https://www.facebook.com/wimberleyvalleyradio>

*It is with great sadness that we note here that our wonderful friend 
Jerry Chamkis passed away on Saturday, November 28, 2021. This project 
is dedicated to his decades of commitment and generosity to many 
community-based groups.*


*Please consider making a donation via the station'slink today.*
https://donorbox.org/one-time-donation-to-102-3-whiv-lp 
<https://donorbox.org/one-time-donation-to-102-3-whiv-lp>
ttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/whiv-fm-community-voice-awards-and-anniversary-party-tickets-198383790257 
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whiv-fm-community-voice-awards-and-anniversary-party-tickets-198383790257?fbclid=IwAR09_evcpoc5aoiTnLWjcAWNzU06MyZHY39QEpJQGfnz_k1Mlk_DuZoq2Sk>*? 
<https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whiv-fm-community-voice-awards-and-anniversary-party-tickets-198383790257?fbclid=IwAR09_evcpoc5aoiTnLWjcAWNzU06MyZHY39QEpJQGfnz_k1Mlk_DuZoq2Sk>
***

**

Founded by *Dr. MarkAlain Dery*, an infectious disease specialist, on 
*World A**IDS**Day*in December 2014, *WHIV-LP 102.3 FM *is New Orleans' 
only radio station dedicated to human rights and social justice. We’re 
committed to lifting the voices of individuals who rarely gain access to 
the New Orleans broadcasting signals: the working classes, the unions, 
the teachers, the scientists, the environmentalists, the non-profit 
organizers, the non-violent activists, and pacifists, as well as 
traditionally vulnerable populations like racial and sexual minorities. 
Our mission is /*Advocacy through Innovative Messaging*/*. *

Over the past seven years, 102.3 FM WHIV-LP has brought together a 
diverse group of DJs and show hosts that look and sound like New 
Orleans. We're proud to offer 55 hours per week of original content by a 
community of 60 volunteer show hosts and air personalities, including 
advocacy-driven shows like /“//PFLAG New Orleans: Expanding the 
Rainbow//”/(LGBTQ rights), /“//People Rise Up! Climate Justice Radio 
Hour//”/(climate justice), and /“//ProFrequency//” /(sexual and 
reproductive rights). Each week, Dr. MarkAlain Dery hosts the 
award-winning /“//Noise Filter,//”/a look at the current science behind 
combating Covid-19.

102.3 FM WHIV-LPalso hosts local, working musicians who showcase a wide 
array of eclectic sounds, programs such as /"Kouman Nou Ye" /(Haitian 
Creole conversation and music), /"La Rola Nola"/(Latin beats) and 
/"Friday Night Funk"/(New Orleans funk).

Our listeners are diverse, civic-minded, and action-oriented. Over 50% 
are between the ages of 25-44, and 70% live in the Greater New Orleans 
area. We’re proud to be on-air and streaming online in around the world.

102.3 FM WHIV-LP is a projectof *The New Orleans Society for Infectious 
Disease Awareness (NOSIDA)*, a New Orleans non-profit organization 
focused on raising awareness about HIV and other infectious diseases.

We need your financial support following the catastrophicimpact of 
*Category 4**Hurricane Ida*August 29^th on our station and community. 
You can find us at _whivfm.org/donate <http://www.whivfm.org/donate>_or 
2762 Orleans Ave, New Orleans LA 7011. Your tax-deductible donation will 
keep the most important voices on air, the ones that will be positive 
agents of change.


End All Wars,
MarkAlain Déry, DO, MPH, FACOI
Infectious Disease Physician/Epidemiologist
Chief Innovation Officer Access Health, LA
Founder 102.3FM WHIV
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markalaindery

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