Fund Raising Effort, Support Celtic Radio

[CelticRadio]

It is that time of the year again where we are staring down our largest expenses of the year. Every year our community has come through with our fund raising goal exceeded. This year we have a rather challenging goal as a number of our expenses have increased and in some cases doubled. In addition, with the economic conditions wearing on our operations the past few years we have seen a gradual decline in new premium accounts.

There are so many things our site provides to members, musicians and listeners that it is too numerous to list here. For many our site has become a solace, an oasis to escape the mundane music of top 40 radio. To some, new friendships have been made and connections with like minded people across the world. To the independent musicians we promote, it has become a valuable resource of new fans and recognition.

This year we have put together what we believe is our best donation packages yet and at very reasonable prices to reflect the current economic conditions we are living with. From Celtic Tarot Cards, to Knights Templar to the History of the Celts. We even have a beautiful Celtic Art package available called "The Spirit of Celtic Art." Every donation package comes with a premium coupon to upgrade your Celtic Radio account anytime to premium status, a Celtic Radio bumper sticker and a downloadable family coat of arms.

Browse the donation packages here: http://www.celticradio.net/php/donations/f...und_raising.php

Packages will be available until our goal is reached, so act quickly if you wish to be included in our yearly fund raising drive!

We hope that we are worthy enough to garner your support during these difficult times. Our heart felt thanks for once again continuing to support our music dream and we look forward to providing Celtic Music through our broadcast channels and website for another year!

[CelticRadio]

2011 Goals.

Wanted to give everyone a preview of Celtic Radio's 2011 goals and what you can expect this coming year.

First, this is our tenth year of operations! Hard to believe, but its true. We have seen alot of change in the internet since 2001 and we have tried to keep pace. In 2010 we had a major design shift in our site to employ new technologies. This resulted in a sleeker and faster website. We have also continued to work out bugs and glitches from the whole system and improve alot of processes.

We finally feel that the foundation of our website and broadcast is strong and formidable and going into 2011 here is what we are going to be working on:

1) We will continue to promote musicians through our featured reviews, awards and spotlights. A new system for musicians and advertisers will give them tools to promote themselves on Celtic Radio.

2) Resuming our Newsletter (look for a copy in your email box soon!).

3) Medieval Kingdom, our online game, will resume development.

4) Enhance our backup plan with new hardware, software & processes.

5) Continue to promote the benefits and creativity of Celtic Music to the World!

6) Give our members a safe, stable and fun website to enjoy conversation with other Celtic Music lovers!

2011 will be a watershed year for Celtic Radio. As we plan out our goals, we are already thinking of preparing for 2012 with some major changes to our broadcast, a possible podcast show and promotion of our site to the masses.

As always, we appreciate your support of our goals and work on the site and broadcasts through our fund raising drive. We hope that we can live up to the expectations and continue to provide a great place to talk and listen to Celtic Music.

[Rindy]

Celtic Radio is the best Celtic website I've come across. Thank you for all you do Celtic Radio. Wonderful goals are in place.

There's a lot of nice gifts for the donations. I hope we watch this go through the roof like last year. It's already taking off. The community members are the best!

Come on members I know we can do this...


Slainte

[CelticRadio]

I think we should make a new award category for some of our biggest supporters like Rindy! Thank you so much for everything you do for Celtic Radio!

Yes, we are off to a great start and we have been worried if we will be able to hit our goal. Would like to keep all of our broadcast channels online and not need to reduce the number of free listener slots or drop a channel entirely.

We've got some great things planned over the next 2 years, so stick around for the ride and the fun!

[maddogmikk]

how long is this running. cas i would like to but i have to wait a little bit so give me a time frame plz

[CelticRadio]

Our fund raising drive will last until the goal is reached or until April. All of our Celtic Radio Channels have fees due in that month, so hopefully by then we can renew with our provider for another year.

Every donation is important, no matter the size when added together will help us reach our goal. If just 400 members donated $5 that alone would be enough to reach our goal.

Sometimes we don't do enough to promote ourselves or all of the wonderful messages we receive. Running Celtic Radio for the past 10 years, it strikes us what a profound effect we are having in peoples lives. We have received so many messages about how our broadcasts provided some comfort during a difficult time of life; or the thankyou from a newly graduated PhD because they said they could not have written their thesis paper without Celtic Radio! We will sometimes get messages from people that have had a bit too much lager, but with warm wishes to all!

We don't have the big facilities or budget that say PBS or CBS has, but we feel that we are worthy enough to continue with our work of providing an alternative to Top 40 radio. We have seen what a good influence this music is on our children, and we will be continuing to do all we can to continue this website and broadcast.

Here are a few comments we just grabbed from our library of comments. Yes, we do save every comment because they are what keeps us going!

Celtic Radio Comments

• Just wanted to say I stumbled across this site looking for Scottish music on-line. I have fallen totally in love with you guys. The music is awesome, makes me dance, makes me cry, makes me feel good inside. Thank you for being here and I hope you guys will be around for a very, very long time. I know I will be.On, before I forget I love everything on the site as well, so much to do, it's like an extended family.
  
  
• I am not much for just sending out an email to some one I have never meet let alone never seen but after listening to your station (celticradio.net) I couldn’t help myself. I am deeply rooted in my Scottish heritage, and my grandfather is the president of the British American Club out in California. I am the first born male in the U.S. and I have lived abroad for quit some time, this is the first station that I like to call home. Keep up the great work and if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale FL. Look me you, the drinks are on me.
  
  
• Hi! I am a traditional musician from Ireland (I play uilleann pipes and I'm also doing a PhD in music) - I just want to say that this station is absolutely fantastic!! I love the wide range of music and there are so many new bands i will discover from listening to Highlander Radio. Believe it or not, only a very small number of our national radio stations in Ireland broadcast traditional music and even then it's only for a few hours a day. This site is such a treasure in that i can listen to so much traditional music whenever i like!! Thank You!!
  
  
• Without a doubt, THE best online station in the world. Absolutly brilliant. Please Keep it up.
  
  
• It's really, really nice to find celtic music of all flavors. In far northeast Texas, this type is hard to find, and your music rotation is eclectic enough to tickle my fancy. Thanks!
  
  
• Yours is indeed a breath of fresh air not only here in Arizona to take us away from the colors of brown and browner of the landscape. But the music helps one rise above the current world madness. Thank you for the chance to relax and meditate away to a distant shore of Celt music and Mythology.
  
  
• I recently lost a dear friend and your music has been a great comfort to me. Sometimes it makes me sad because the songs remind me of my friend, other times the songs make me happy as I think of something funny that happened to me that is described in the song. Thanks for everything you do, it makes the days go by easier!

[maddogmikk]

just windering does any of the money from the shop go to you guys? My wife found something that she wants to buy and also said that it was no prb if i made a donation so you can count on it from me. I know that you guys have helped me so i want to give back.

[CelticRadio]

We can definitely consider a purchase made in our store to go toward the fund raising drive. Just send us an email that you are making a store purchase in support of our fund raising drive and we will manually add it to the total!

Thanks for your support!

[maddogmikk]

it's ok. i'm still going to make one and buy something i just did not know if you see any of the money made in the store. because there are a few things that i liked but i wanted to wait on getting them when it was closer to when i need them. it's just nice to know if the money i would spend is going to you guys and not someone else

[CelticRadio]

Thanks for the vote of confidence! Yes, the Celtic Radio Store are products made by Celtic Radio and all sales help support our site. While our fund raising drive is for yearly type expenses, we still have a whole bunch of monthly expenses which are supported by our premium accounts and sales in the store.

[maddogmikk]

well depending on what the future holds. We all know that it flows like a river never knowing were it may go from turn to turn. You can count on this listener being there to help out when he can. peace out and see ya'll on the flip-side

[gwenlee]

I made my donation. Thanks you Mac for the great music.

Gwenlee

[maddogmikk]

good and done. Hope it helps out. Keep up the good work.

[Rindy]

Wow look at all the donations! Way to go everyone. I hope we break through the top this year.


Slainte

[CelticRadio]

We want to thank every one for their genereous donations this year. As usually it is exceeding our expectations and energizing everyone at Celtic Radio!

In fact, we were thinking on some ways to better promote the music and also benefit our listeners and members. We are 99% sure that we will be producing 2 podcast shows that will come out 4 times a year. Can't release all of the details yet, but with everyone getting ipods and itouches, this will be a great way to take the music with you where ever you go!

And also as a thank you for supporting Celtic Radio! These shows will be offered completely free for download to anyone that wants to listen and might even be available on iTunes!