$140,000 response to radio appeal

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 3

$140,000 response to radio appeal

In two days, the total for Radio Rhema’s loan repayment appeal has almost doubled to $140,000. Radio Rhema, a Christian radio network, now aims to meet the entire $700,000 loan on its new Christchurch headquarters to wipe out interest repayments. The appeal was launched last Friday to meet an immediate interest repayment of $85,000 by Monday afternoon, a target it reached with $lOOO to spare. Since then, money had continued to flow in from its branches throughout New Zealand, said a station accountant, Mr Warren Shivas. “It takes time for gifts to be banked,” he said. “It is a real thrill to get the bank statement every morning.” Gifts were coming in with amounts ranging from $5 to $lOOO. The biggest gift so far is $3OOO. Mr Shivas said the appeal was open until the end of the month. The station bought its headquarters in Birmingham Drive, Addington, to bring its five Christchurch departments, scattered round the city, under one roof. This became urgent when its Mairehau studio outgrew the residential by-law and was required to move by May, 1987. Radio Rhema hopes to move its studio to the new premises in December. The move will cost another $400,000.