Unit members help with OETA telethon

  • Published
  • By Tech Sgt. Kristin Mack
  • 507th ARW Public Affairs Office
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma --  Twelve members from Tinker Air Force Base joined together to support the annual Oklahoma Education Television Authority (OETA) telethon at their headquarter's facility in Oklahoma City February 15. 

Active duty, Reserve, Retirees, civilians and dependents, most of whom were from the 507th Air Mobility Wing, participated in this annual fundraising event designed to gain a majority of funding for OETA programming in the upcoming year. 

The mission of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority is to provide educational and public television programming to the people of Oklahoma on a coordinated statewide basis. OETA reaches out to 1,800,000 viewers who tune into OETA on a weekly basis. 

OETA must meet certain funding requirements every year to continue to produce and provide programming on their public network. The financial goal for the Festival was $1,250,000. The final figure we announced on the last night was that we surpassed our goal and raised $1,250,750!, said Louise Lee, Manager on-air fund raising for OETA. 

Their annual telethon is designed to bring various groups of volunteers together to support this effort. Tinker AFB, along with the University of Central Oklahoma accounting team helped raise $36,806 during their six-hour volunteer shift supporting the telethon. 

The volunteers answered phones and entered payment information on a computer monitor from the supporters who called in. All of this in front of cameras that captured the event and broadcasted on their network. "We support the OETA because of the community involvement and worthwhile cause for education," said Clifton Howard, Zoning Inspector and former volunteer coordinator for the OETA telethon. "There is always a great group of people to work with, not to mention good shows on while you're there." Mr. Howard has volunteered at the telethon for more than twenty years. 

This marks the 24th year Tinker AFB has been assisting with the annual OETA telethon.