WHDD seeking help after lightning strike

SHARON — It was one dark and stormy night Marshall Miles will never forget. In July, in the midst of a series of heavy thunderstorms, a lightning bolt hit the studios of WHDD-FM 91.9 at 67 Main St.

Miles, who heads the nonprofit National Public Radio station’s parent organization, Tri-State Public Communications, came in the morning after the storm to find approximately $23,000 worth of equipment destroyed.

Essential gear including computers, a telephone system, broadcast equipment and satellite equipment were just some of the items that literally got fried.

“Lightning is an equal-opportunity destroyer,� Miles said. “When I got to the station, some of the equipment was literally smoking. I’ve been in radio since 1971, and I have never seen a lightning strike like this.�

Miles stressed that nothing could have been done to prevent the damage.

“When you get a direct strike or a strike that close, there’s nothing you can do to stop what’s going to happen,� he said. “Lightning rods at radio stations don’t work. You’d need the world’s biggest lightning rod.�

Despite the damage, Miles  had the station back on air within a few hours. However, all of the equipment  had to be replaced. The station didn’t have an insurance policy that covered “acts of God, such as lightning or floods,â€� Miles explained. “We do now, but it didn’t cross anyone’s mind [that we would need it].â€�

The station was back on the air in limited form within three hours. After 24 hours, normal programming had been resumed, and the station was back to full power and completely fixed in 72 hours.

But the cost of the new equipment has come out of pocket, and for a small station like WHDD it’s a big loss.

The station is now looking for donations to cover the cost of replacing the equipment.  Approximately $4,000  has been collected through donations, and Miles hopes that more listeners will write checks to help out.

“If every person who listens to this station can send $10 to $20, we can cover the rest of this,� Miles said. “We need people who love National Public Radio and our local programming to step up to the plate.�

WHDD on-air personality “NASCAR� Dave MacMillan and Pat Deneen have also scheduled a corn toss fundraiser (a game similar to horseshoes, but played with bags of corn) Sept. 20 at the American Legion hall on Route 44 in Millerton.

The $10 entrance fee will go directly to the radio station. Teams of two will be picked at random, and there will be more than enough boards to have many games going at one time.

Hamburgers, sausage-and-pepper grinders and french fries will be sold. The American Legion bar will also be open.

The Sept. 20 fundraiser starts at noon; the corn toss will begin at 1 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door; to purchase tickets in advance, call MacMillan at 914-475-5918.

 â€œYou don’t have to be a great athlete to play,â€� Deneen promised.

“We are totally listener supported, and whatever support the community gives us would be really appreciated,� Miles said.

Send donations to Tri-State Public Communications, 67 Main St., Sharon, CT 06069.