Local Foods Featured in TV Pledge Drives

August 2004

Fellow Mary Hendrickson hosted a TV pledge drive and used the opportunity to highlight local foods. Mary writes,

“I hosted a 4-hour segment of a pledge drive for PBS affiliate KMOS-TV in Warrensburg, MO with former FASP fellow Kyle Vickers. I got several local farmers and eateries to donate premiums and then was able to promote those farmers and businesses and urge people to “Watch Local, Eat Local.” KMOS-TV has a viewership that spans from Kansas City suburbs to Columbia, and includes many rural areas. I also coordinated a local non-profit group, Sustainable Farms and Communities, to answer telephones during the same 4-hour segment. Then I interviewed each member and asked why they supported local foods, what their goals for the organization were and so on. It was a really great promotion for local food systems. (See picture below.)”

This pledge drive followed on the heels of a similar March 2004 pledge drive, about which Mary wrote:

“[I] [c]o-hosted a pledge drive for KMOS-TV, a PBS affiliate in Warrensburg, MO, on March 20. During this 3-hour pledge drive, which featured Farm Aid ’03, I was able to talk about the importance of supporting local farmers, local food businesses, and knowing where one’s food comes from during about five 12-minute pledge breaks. It was so successful that we will be doing another pledge drive show in August that will incorporate premiums from local farmers and businesses that use or promote local foods. The TV station reaches about 50,000 households.”

The thank you letter from the station reads in part:

“Dr. Dr. Hendrickson,

Thanks to you and each of the members of the Sustainable Farms and Community group who generously donated time, talents and gifts during the KMOS Pledge Drive. Your help in the August Drive contributed to its success. Viewer response to the items your group provided has garnered several new memberships for KMOS. We appreciate it that you shared your bounty and made a delivery on the way home.” (Emphasis added.)

KMOS-TV Pledge Drive on August 9, 2004. Pictured with members of Sustainable Farms and Communities.