WTCC RADIO STATION PRESENTED THEIR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY
FOR CITY CHILDREN

On Saturday, December 17, 2005, nearly 125 Springfield children gathered at the Basketball Hall of Fame for a Christmas party complete with presents, music, cake, and a visit with Santa Claus.  The party was organized by WTCC, the radio station of Springfield Technical Community College, and was held from 2:00 to 4:00 in the auditorium at the Hall of Fame.

Denise Stewart, General Manager of WTCC, explained that this was the station's ninth annual party for children in need of a special Christmas.  Each year the station asks social service agencies in the area and organizations such as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center for names of children aged 5-11 who should be given some extra attention at Christmas.

The children and families who attended the WTCC Christmas party enjoyed music, cake and candy canes, and the excitement of receiving a toy, and a personal visit with Santa, as well as coupons to McDonald's and for the Basketball Hall of Fame for a return visit with their families.  They sang along with Christmas carols, through music and equipment provided by WTCC DJ, John Hoyt.
The highlight of the party, according to Stewart, was the grand entrance of Santa Claus, "with lots of noise, big bells, and ho-ho-ho."  DJ Fred Layne "who's been at WTCC for double digits of years" said Stewart, "really takes his role seriously.  He's filled with exuberance and sees this as an annual opportunity to reach out to young children.  Some of the kids he's played Santa to are now in high school, so he's a tradition here."  Since Layne's Monday night radio show features hip-hop as well as R&B, Stewart refers to him as the Hip-hop Santa."  Jordan's Photographers provided photos of the children with Santa so that the families had a permanent memory of the experience.

WTCC buys the toys each year with some of the proceeds from the station's annual fund drive, held in April.  Stewart added that because entire families attended, the staff tried to have some stuffed animals or teddy bears on hand so that every child would be happy at the party.
Stewart says, "WTCC is a college and community station that is run by community volunteers.  We're part of the fabric of the community, providing music and information 365 days a year, 24 hours a day."  As many as 120 volunteers keep WTCC running, working in all capacities such as program hosts, producers, music directors, or board members.  "Some people will come in for half an hour; some stay for five hours a day," said Stewart.  "We've had some truly long-term volunteers.  I've been here for 25 years, and Andrew Cade of the Urban League, who's a DJ and business director at WTCC, has been here even longer, at least 30 years."

WTCC's 4000-watt signal reaches from Brattleboro, Vermont to Middletown, Connecticut.  The station, at 90.7 FM, offers a wide variety of music, including jazz, gospel, Latino, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, African, Caribbean, polka, R&B, and rock.  For a program schedule or to listen to WTCC online, visit www.wtccfm.org. n