Radio Tierra turns 15 this year, and to celebrate, its board of directors is hosting a Radio-Thon on Saturday, Oct. 26 from noon to 5 p.m. at Columbia Center for the Arts. The event will be broadcast live over Radio Tierra. Board member Nubia Contreras said music and entertainment will be provided by Los Amigos de la Sierra, Batalla M-5, Energía Norteña, The Rezurectors and Zumba Ladies.
“Part of the proceeds collected during the Radio-Thon will go to our first ever Beat of the Gorge local scholarship for students,” said Contreras. “We want to give back to our community, and what better way than to help students with their dreams?”
The Radio-Thon will be held in the CCA theater and light refreshments will be served in the gallery. There will also be raffle items.
Those wishing to donate during the Radio-Thon will be able to do so; those wishing to donate before or after the event can visit radiotierra.org — there’s a donation button — or mail a check to P.O. Box 859 Hood River, OR 97031. People can additionally stop by the studio on Tuesdays from 8-10 a.m. to drop off donations as well.
Radio Tierra was founded by Darlo Salas, Aaron Glasgo and Norberto Maahs in 2004 and, in the early days of the station, programs were mostly live and broadcast out of Salas’ garage. The transmitter was located at the top of the Hood River hospital.
These days, the station is housed next to The Next Door on Tucker Road, with a range that spans from Parkdale to The Dalles (actually, closer to Biggs Junction) on the Oregon side of the Columbia, and from Carson to Trout Lake on the Washington side. Last year, Radio Tierra also went digital, extending that reach even further — worldwide, really — via laptop or phone through the Radio Tierra website.
The Radio-Thon is the same day as another CCA event: Part of its ongoing bilingual series featuring Mariachi de Hood River and Day of the Dead altar. “(The Radio-Thon) fits perfectly into the events that were already planned for that day — just enhances the whole experience,” said CCA Events Manager Lorri Cornett.
Mariachi de Hood River includes students from across the Hood River County School District and is directed by Juan Antonio Martinez. The Day of the Dead altar is one of many in Hood River, and those attending are welcome to bring personal items of commemoration to add to the community altar. (Anderson’s Tribute Center and the Hood River County Library will also have altars; see Happenings for details; an upcoming issue of the Hood River News will also feature more information on Day of the Dead events.)
Cornett is also excited that the event will give members of the Hispanic community a reason to visit the art center, many for the first time. It’s a goal of the CCA board to make the center a welcoming space for all members of the community, Cornett said, and she hopes those visiting will see that it is “a very public space with lots of variety to offer.”
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