Covenant News

KICY Radio Celebrates Major Debt Retirement

NOME, AK (November 22, 2003) - KICY Radio celebrated the payment of a significant debt at a recent board meeting, allowing the Alaska-based station to further a ministry that is reaching people hundreds of miles away.

The board of Arctic Broadcasting (which oversees KICY) met at Alaska Christian College in Soldotna and celebrated God's faithfulness of proclaiming the Gospel for over 43 years in Alaska and Russia. KICY's director, Dennis Weidler said that the completed debt payment will allow the ministry to expand in a variety of ways in North America and Russia. A number of individuals celebrated the debt retirement with a mortgage-burning ceremony (accompanying photo).

"A little over four years ago, KICY was $600,000 in debt, mostly to National Covenant Properties and the (Evangelical Covenant Church) Department of Church Growth and Evangelism," Weidler said. "Today we are debt free. God continues to amaze! In that same four-year period, we raised $400,000 to erect two new towers and install a new 50,000-watt transmitter. We also raised sufficient donations to remodel the studio building and build three new broadcast studios and (thanks to nearly all volunteer assistance) the entire studio building has been updated."

Recently, KICY has been blessed by the purchase of a new pickup truck. More than $19,500 was raised since March to secure funding for the vehicle, which was being sold by the retiring engineer at another Nome-based radio station. And a $100,000 capital campaign drive has raised 90 percent of its needed total, with the final $10,000 earmarked for 1,000 radios for Russia.

KICY, operated by Arctic Broadcasting Association, is an affiliated corporation of the Evangelical Covenant Church. KICY's first broadcast occurred on Easter Sunday, 1960, according to Rob Hall, who serves Arctic Broadcasting Association as a member of the staff of the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism. KICY is staffed primarily by volunteers raising their own financial support.

Radio station programming reaches listeners (both English and Russian) in both western Alaska and the Russian Far East. Late night programming (11 p.m. to 4 a.m.) includes gospel teaching and music in the Russian language. KICY is the lone commercial AM radio station in the U.S. with such an internationally sanctioned license.

To learn more about KICY, visit the station's website at www.kicy.org. To contact KICY, call the station at 907-443-2213 or email KICY at office@kicy.org.

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