Scottsbluff (SNR/SCR) - Spirit Catholic Radio held its kickoff of Spirit 99.3 FM at the Old West Balloon Fest Showdown in Scottsbluff and Gering Aug. 12-15.
Spirit Catholic Radio (SCR) staff and volunteers set up tents, trailers, and tables with the Spirit 99.3 logo at Balloon Glows and gave away free Catholic books, rosaries and cookies. Visitors were entered into a drawing and were offered yard signs, window stickers and program guides.
Bruce McGregor and Jen Brown broadcast a special 90-minute weekend edition of Spirit Mornings LIVE Aug. 15 from St. Agnes Church in Scottsbluff with guests from the area. The guests included Bishop Joseph Hanefeldt, St. Agnes pastor Father Vince Parsons, Christ the King Gering pastor Father Michael McDonald, Head Teacher at St. Agnes Julie Brown, Jack Revelle and Bob Wolf with the Knights of Columbus, Kristen Schiff and Jody Windhorst from the Women’s Group and SCR board representative Lee Trautman of Gering. At the end of the broadcast, members of the live listening audience released 99 red balloons with the Spirit 99.3FM logo into the air.
The 99.3 FM signal was launched in February and received a power upgrade in June. People from the Scottsbluff area raised the funds in a campaign held December 2019 through January 2020. Previously, they had a 100-watt, low-powered FM signal operating under the name Valley Catholic Radio (VCR) as an affiliate station of Spirit Catholic Radio. The VCR board voted to close the low powered station and raise money to help Spirit Catholic Radio purchase the full-powered 99.3 FM station operated by Spirit Catholic Radio. It is the seventh station owned by the lay apostolate. Spirit Catholic Radio has eight affiliate stations across Nebraska and one in Wisconsin.
