OBSERVER & ECCENTRIC Monday, May 9, 1977 4A(B)

School disc jockeys raise $2,300

Results of last week’s 77-hour marathon broadcast by WBFH-FM to benefit the March of Dimes was beyond expectations, station manager Pete Bowers said.

Pledges for seven WBFH disc jockeys who participated in Sunday’s Superwalk march at the Silverdome in Pontiac totaled $2,300, $800 over the hoped-for goal of $1,500.

“We hit out goal about 5:30 p.m. Friday and the rest of Friday night and until 11 p.m. Saturday (when the marathon broadcast ended) was on top of that,” Bowers explained.

When Bowers had said earlier in the weeks that the station hoped for a total of $1,500 in the effort, he was “kind of queasy because I didn’t think we would get even close to $1,500.”

“We would have been perfectly happy to make $500-1,000 but to get $2,300 – we’re overjoyed.”

WBFH is the student radio station of the Bloomfield Hills School District. It is operated by students at Andover and Lahser high schools. Bowers, an Andover graduate, is station manager.

He called support of the marathon a “total staff effort with complete community support.”

Calls came from all over the school district with pledges for the walk. The greatest amount of money was pledged from Lahser High School, with West Hills Junior High pledging the second greatest amount.

Parents were “just great,” Bowers said. The largest single pledge, of $200, came from a parent. Five other pledges of $100 each also were received. Total pledges numbered 400.

All seven of the disc jockeys who participated in the marathon broadcast completed the 20-mile march on Sunday.

“We were a little sore on Monday and had a few blisters but it wasn’t too bad,” Bowers said.

“We will do it again,” he added. “To get that much the first year is more than we expected. We are looking forward to the next one.”