Folks in Nome avoid throwing things away if there’s any imaginable way to make it useful. Likewise, the Mission stretches operating funds as much as possible given the high cost of everything in rural Alaska.
For example, KNOM salvaged shelves for its large vinyl record library. Despite the digital system that runs and structures our daily broadcasts, the old records are still used for special occasions. Program Director Laura Collins organized a team, and thanks to the help of community members, including the pastor of the Baptist church across the street, the old records now grace the walls on their new shelves in KNOM’s studios. Like the records they’ll hold, the salvaged shelves will continue to bring value, long after the time they might have seemed destined for the trash heap.
