WLEN Radio - Kathy Williams
Posted by Chuck Chase
on Mar 06, 2014
Our own Kathy Williams, who has lived in the Adrian area for over 30 years was our featured speaker today. She proudly announced that she will be celebrating her 30th wedding anniversary to her hubby Doug who everybody knows works and works at Lowes! Kathy said that she’s had an extensive background in sales. She did a 7 year stint in the construction industry as a project designer and manager. When the economy in that sector went south, she said, she quickly pursued her interest in finishing her associates degree. She prayed that a job would come along that would allow her to be creative, involved in her community and just help people and it did! Thanks to the networking she did through her “Athena Girls”, Kathy met with Julie Koehn at WLEN. Kathy showed the audience a WLEN promo on YouTube. If you’d like to see it for yourself again go to: http://youtu.be/6XtffDhbjxw.
WLEN is a locally owned and operated radio station serving the citizens of southeast Michigan, including Lenawee, Monroe, Washtenaw, Jackson and Hillsdale counties. Next year the station will celebrate 50 years in broadcasting! It is an adult contemporary station playing current hits with Oldies on Fridays. The station is a huge community asset because they offer not only a great mix of music and community information but news, sports and weather in addition to many contests.
The station has access to auxiliary power during storms when the power is normally down in the community so critical information and reports can still be communicated. The station boasts of a free on-line Classified service where people can buy, sell, trade, rent or just give away items they have. Over 52,000 people are currently registered on their on-line site! WLEN’s Hometown Hope Grant program sponsored by McDonald’s of Adrian and Hudson offer marketing grants to local non-profits who also are eligible for 100 Public Service Announcement/month as well as remote live broadcasts and a spot on Community Conversation. If you know of a non-profit, Kathy said, who is not registered, please encourage them to do this. Of those registered, twelve are chosen to be recognized each moth of the new year. This year’s recipients are: YMCA of Lenawee, Lenawee United Way 2-1-1, Damascus Road, Hospice of Lenawee, Lenawee Great Start, The Daily Bread of Lenawee, Lenawee County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, Alzheimer’s Association-Michigan Great Lakes Chapter, Tecumseh Lions Club, Family Counseling & Children’s Services of Lenawee County, Hudson Foundation, and the Salvation Army.
Among the awards WLEN has won are: Michigan Association of Broadcasters Station of the year 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011. National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation 2006 b& 2008 Service to America - Service to Children just to name a few. WLEN is a finalist this year for the NAB’s Crystal Radio Award among some 900 competitors! The NAB's Marconi Award was bestowed on the station in 2004 and 2011.