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Mike McVay , President, McVay Media
Mike McVay is founder and President of McVay Media, a full-service consultancy, serving Adult Contemporary, Country, CHR, Oldies, Rock, Sports, and News/Talk radio stations. McVay’s 35 years of broadcast experience include stints as an Owner, General Manager, Program Director, and Air Personality.
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The John Tesh Radio Show has launched a humanitarian effort here to help the many fishermen and their families who have lost their livelihood due to the massive oil spill.
According to media reports, the oil spill has devastated the $2 billion a year Gulf fishing industry, affecting some 27,000 jobs directly. Currently more than 37% of the federal Gulf of Mexico waters are now closed to fishing, covering more than 88,000 sq. miles. To date, over 26,000 claims have been filed for lost income.
The humanitarian effort launched by the John Tesh Radio Show, called "Adopt A Fisherman," will be centered in Venice, Louisiana (Plaquemines Parish), roughly 75 miles south of New Orleans and considered the Gateway to the Gulf of Mexico. The area is home to many commercial fishermen.
The "Adopt A Fisherman" efforts will be led on the ground by "Uncle" Vinny Sellecchia and Kathy Banning, who work with John Tesh and Connie Sellecca's Intelligent Kindness outreach for the homeless and homeless veterans. The team has rented an RV, with Mr. Sellecchia and Ms. Banning arriving in Venice today. They will tour the Parish with local officials and meet with fishermen and their families to find out what their greatest needs are. They will also provide assistance which may include funds, food, clothing, medical care, childcare and, if needed, relocation assistance. They will also give reports on the situation and the humanitarian response on The John Tesh Radio Show starting tomorrow.
John Tesh, host of The John Tesh Radio Show, said, "The oil spill has taken away the livelihood of the large fishing community here during the prime income-producing season. Many families are in severe financial peril and are still waiting for some kind of assistance from either the government or the oil companies. Our goal is to ascertain what their immediate needs are and then connect our millions of radio listeners to these families in order to provide relief. We also hope that others will join us in order to help those affected by what is now one of the worst environmental disasters in history."
Connie Sellecca said, "We know we cannot single-handedly take care of each and every family, so our mission in this effort is to encourage others to join in the effort."
Several website links have been set up where anyone can donate to the effort: www.tesh.com or www.facebook.com/IntelligentKindness. 100 percent of all donations will go directly to fishermen and their families via the SelleccaTesh Foundation, an IRS Certified 501(c)3 private foundation.
ABOUT THE JOHN TESH RADIO SHOW:
"The John Tesh Radio Show: Music and Intelligence for Your Life" is one of the largest independently syndicated radio talk shows in North America, airing on more than 350 radio station affiliates across the US and Canada with roughly 14.5 million listeners. The show appeals to listeners of all ages and features a mix of advice and tips presented with humor and encouragement.
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