WASHINGTON, DC -The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) celebrated yesterday the 12th annual Service to America Awards, held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The dinner and awards ceremony recognized the exceptional public service contributions of radio and television broadcasters, and also featured the presentation of NABEF's highest honor, the Service to America Leadership Award, to Starkey Hearing Foundation organizers William and Tani Austin. The gala event included award presentations from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Senators Richard Burr, Amy Klobuchar and Claire McCaskill, Representatives John Kline, Mark Schauer and Greg Walden, and FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell.
"Since 1999, the Celebration of Service to America Awards has recognized broadcasters and charitable organizations for their tireless efforts in serving communities across the country, touching the hearts of thousands of Service to America attendees in the process," said NAB Education Foundation President Marcellus Alexander. "We are grateful for another heartwarming ceremony, and thank all guests and presenters for their role in making this event such a success."
The ceremony honored station winners WRAZ-TV Durham, NC, KSTP-FM Minneapolis, WWMT-TV Kalamazoo, MI, KPAM-AM Portland, OR and KOMU-TV Columbia, MO with the Service to America Television Award, the Service to Children Awards and the Service to Community Awards. Additionally, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas presented William and Tani Austin with the Service to America Leadership Award for their dedication to providing more than 442,000 hearing aids to children and adults around the world through their Starkey Hearing Foundation. The foundation's extraordinary public service efforts include a commitment to distribute more than 1,000,000 free hearing aids worldwide in this decade. Additional information can be found at www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.
Also featured during the event was the presentation of the Service to America President's Special Award to Haiti's Signal FM, recognizing the radio station for their outstanding service to the Haitian community following the aftermath of the earthquake disaster.
For additional information about last night's event, contact Eva Henninger at 202-429-5481.
About The Celebration of Service to America Awards
Founded in 1964, Bonneville International's heritage traces its early roots to KSL Radio, which first went on the air in July of 1922 (originally as KZN) in Salt Lake City and to KSL-TV, which had its on-air debut in 1949. Bonneville currently owns and operates 28 radio stations in the Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Cincinnati markets, with company headquarters in Salt Lake City. The company's working motto is "Do good, do well, make a difference, and have fun," and it structures its innovative and successful business model on the three principles of 1) building its people, 2) making a difference in its communities, and 3) meeting aggressive financial goals. Bonneville enjoys a long-standing reputation and is known industry-wide for its quality, values-oriented programming, its technological innovation, and its nationally recognized and award-winning commitment to serving the communities where it broadcasts.
About NABEF
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving broadcasters and the public interest by supporting and advocating community service, diversity, education and broadcasting issues and trends.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.