KACU Abilene Public Radio kicked off its 2013 Fall Membership Drive this week, donating books to local charities in the process.

“Tell Me a Story” was this year’s pledge drive theme.

“We all grew up reading a story, and there’s a whole lot of kids in the area who will never have a story read to them,” said J.C. Patrick, membership director at KACU.

The station, which broadcasts on 89.7 FM, partnered with the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature and Toys for Tots. When listeners call and give a donation they will also be donating a book to a child in need.

“Instead of getting another tote bag or coffee cup or whatever stuff you don’t need, let your donation go to support another organization as well this holiday,” Patrick said.

Caleb Robinson, director of business and traffic, said he’s glad KACU gets a chance to donate to more than one charity.

“In the past, we partnered with The West Texas Forestry Service to give trees to local organizations and also Meals on Wheels to give meals,” Robinson said. “This drive, since we’re working with the NCCIL and Toys for Tots, we feel like more non-profits are involved.”

Lydia Miranda, student announcer at KACU and junior elementary education major from San Antonio, said she is very passionate about making sure as many children receive books from the pledge drive as possible.

“Being an education major, I think children having books is probably one of the most important things in a child’s life,” Miranda said.

Guests for the event included Abilene Mayor Norm Archibald, the superintendent of the Abilene Independent School District and Phil Schubert.

“Everything from the president of our university to the mayor of our town to the curators of our local museums””everyone’s a friend of KACU,” said Meagan Freeman, the director of news and operations.

Freeman, who started working at the station at the beginning of the semester, said this pledge drive is the first time all the new staff members have gotten to work together with the new general manager, Nathan Gibbs.

“Now our family is complete and we are kicking off a new era of KACU,” Freeman said. “We’re so excited for things to come from covering more local news to getting out in the community.”

Nancy Ndekwe, student announcer and sophomore business management and interior design major from Kigali, Rwanda, said working at KACU has helped her achieve her dreams.

“As a little child, I always wanted to work on the radio. Knowing that someone knows my voice and hasn’t met me, I felt like I was a part of someone’s life already,” she said.

She said she is proud to work at a radio station that steps out to care for those in the community.

“It’s not an ordinary radio station,” Ndekwe said. “It helps the community more, you know, than just playing music and news. It cares about the people in the community.”

Nathan Gibbs, new general manager at KACU, said he looks forward to reaching out to people in the community through KACU.

“I think we all want to make a difference, bottom line, and to me it’s really an honor to be in charge of a station like KACU because it brings public media to Abilene,” Gibbs said.

He said students should take advantage of the informational programming the station offers.

“If you haven’t listened, flip the channel on and pay attention to it. It’s a really unique thing,” Gibbs said.

KACU’s goal for the fundraiser is to raise $40,000. As of Wednesday afternoon they were at $11, 245.