It was roughly 15 degrees outside, the wind was whipping through our tent, and I was chafed, exhausted, and only halfway there. Twelve plunges down. Twelve to go.
That was the Maryland Special Olympics Super Plunge: 24 dips into the Chesapeake Bay in 24 hours. Somewhere around the midpoint, wrapped in a damp towel and questioning every decision that had led me there, I knew exactly why I was doing it.
If I expected our air staff to jump into freezing water, I had to jump in with them. You can’t lead from the warm side of the tent.
And honestly, it was a perfect marriage. Special Olympics Maryland had a purpose worth rallying behind. 98 Rock had an appetite for lunacy that bordered on professional. Put the two together, and something special happened.
How the Lunacy Became Programming
The Super Plunge gave us everything a great radio event needs. There was anticipation in the days leading up to it. There were personalities accepting a ridiculous challenge. And there were constant updates, real discomfort, and plenty of humor at our own expense. Most importantly, listeners had a reason to follow along.
The cause gave those moments meaning. Staff participation made them personal. Listeners weren’t hearing a liner about a charity event — they were hearing people they knew turn blue for a reason.
And it kept growing. The crowds got bigger. The tent got bigger. Our television and AM partners were part of it from the start, and as the platform grew, so did our integration with both teams.
Treat Nonprofits Like Creative Partners
Our relationship with Special Olympics Maryland didn’t just produce one event. It sparked ideas. Their team knew the community, knew what motivated people, and wasn’t afraid to think big.
That’s the lesson. Too often, stations treat nonprofits as recipients — a check, a PSA, a mention. Instead, approach them as creative partners. They know their communities in ways a programming department rarely does.
Then ask the useful question: What could we do together that people would want to participate in — and hear about?
Bring the Lunacy to the Holidays
Now, move from the frozen Chesapeake to something closer on the calendar. The holidays have always been radio’s season for community outreach. Maybe that’s because it’s the holiday ratings book, and Mariah Carey is in the driver’s seat for a month and a half.
Toy drives, food collections, and radiothons are strong foundations. They work. But they can also blend together, station after station, year after year.
So build an experience around them that sounds like your station. Maybe that’s mischievous. Maybe it’s heartfelt, competitive, or musical. Or, maybe it’s all of the above. The point is to make the effort unmistakably yours.
Give your staff something to get behind. Give your listeners a reason to show up, tune in, and tell their friends.
One of my favorite versions of this was pay for play. For a donation, we’d play anything — as long as it was FCC compliant.
That’s where the fun started. Requests came in that no music scheduler would ever touch. Some were hilarious. Some were baffling. All of them became part of the show.
Suddenly, the audience was helping shape the programming. The fundraising wasn’t interrupting the show; it was the show. And it worked because everyone understood why we were doing it. The cause gave us permission to break our own rules for a few hours.
Take It to the Streets
The best efforts don’t stay inside the studio. Bring in local businesses, musicians, venues, workplaces, and sister stations. Give people practical roles and places to participate — a drop-off location, a team challenge, a live performance, a matching gift.
Then connect it all through on-air storytelling. Every participant becomes a character in the story you’re telling.
Done right, the effort builds relationships, creates distinctive content, opens sponsor opportunities, and attaches lasting memories to your station. That’s not a bad return on a few frozen toes.
I’d love to tell you I emerged from that tent a hero. Mostly, I emerged needing a hot shower and a long nap.
But I’d do it again. Find an idea that serves a real need and sounds unmistakably like your station. When the cause matters and the personality fits, doing good can become great radio.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
