UPR rings in new year with local benefit event
Utah Public Radio (UPR) held a New Years’ Eve party at Hamilton’s Restaurant to celebrate UPR’s new building and advances within the broadcast industry and give locals an enjoyable night out to bring in 2011.
Nora Zambreno, interim general manager of UPR, said several of those who attended were invitees who have a connection to the organization.
Among the guests in that category were Ron and Sandi Gilliam, both associate professors of communicative disorders and deaf education in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education. Sandi said she was excited to take part in UPR’s recent success.
“(The party) seemed like a celebratory, looking-toward-the-future kind of event,” she said. “It was fun to be a part of this growing radio station, and to see in this state and city, something really cool happen. It’s growing, and it’s great to be a part of something like that.”
Zambreno said while UPR had the objective of sharing exposure to the building campaign, there was not a monetary goal to take from the party – a gathering that included dancing, dinner, entertainment from magician Richard Hatch and a champagne buffet with two toasts to ring in 2011.
“(The party) is about providing a good time for those who want to do so for New Year’s,'” she said.
Zambreno said the event also recognized UPR recently completing an upgrade to their Richfield station as well as a new broadcasting hub in Vernal. Closer to USU, a new building is being constructed between the Multimedia and Distance Education Building and the tennis courts on-campus. The building will have a groundbreaking this coming spring, and is projected to be completed by December 2012.
The structure will be twice as large as UPR’s current location, situated across the street, west of Aggie Ice Cream on 1200 East.
Zambreno said because UPR is a non-profit organization, they can’t make money from any event they hold. So, while the organization did politely ask for donations, they can’t exceed the cost of actually throwing the event.
“Any (money) that’s left over will go toward the station,” she said. “These things don’t usually bring lots of dollars, but help to connect those interested with steps to build and move the organization forward.”
The Gilliam’s said they are among those interested in seeing such progress.
“We wanted to support the public radio. We think that’s important,” Sandi said. “We knew a lot of colleagues would be there from the Emma Eccles Jones benefit. We thought it would be good to benefit the community.”
Lee and Jackie Rulis, residents of Logan, were among those at the event who did not have an association with UPR in any way, but thought it a worthy cause to support the state-wide station.
“It was well-done, and very low-key, and a nice occasion for New Year’s Eve in Cache Valley,” Lee said.
Lee said UPR described their motive to look for a capital funding project for the new station building.
Sandi said almost all of the patrons were from Utah State in some form or fashion. She also said two toasts were held because the first, at 10 p.m., was held to ring in the New Year as the ball at Times Square in New York dropped live, and the second was to welcome 2011 according to Mountain Standard Time.
– rhett.wilkinson@aggiemail.usu.edu