It’s our last day of the Fall Pledge Drive, and we are mere dollars away from our goal as I write this… and everyone is excited and buzzing about, even more than usual!

Announcers are humming as they play music and chat between breaks; my fellow staff members are singing a few bars as they dash back and forth from the pledge room to the Master Control booth; volunteers are excitedly taking calls and sharing the fun as they talk on the phone; and everywhere, someone will spontaneously burst into laughter.

It’s my favorite day of the drive, and while we are always thrilled to achieve this goal, I’m a little bit sorry to see it end. The flurry of activity, the calls and comments of listeners, the fast-paced interaction with colleagues and volunteers…. as well as the insights, observations, and humor that our beloved on-air announcers share with us as they ask us to step up and pledge… these are some of my favorite things about the Pledge Drive.

Before we are swept up in the final wave of pitching and pledging and applause, I just want to thank all our listeners and donors for keeping Austin classical!

Thanks again,

~Alison Cowden, office manager