Suffolk University’s radio station, WSFR, hosted its second annual lock-in for charity on April 10 and 11, spending a total of 24 hours raising money for the Healthcare Heroes Fund.
From “Battle of the College Radio Stations” and breaks for ping pong and music, to midnight trivia and early morning chats with SGA president-elect Angela El Jazzar, the lock-in was filled with events for everyone to enjoy.
Segments hosted by Suffolk students leaders provided entertainment in the early hours of the morning, featuring Queer Student Union, Program Council and Photography Club.
The event is typically hosted by WSFR seniors and features various groups and student leaders across campus. The first lock-in was held in 2019. Due to Suffolk’s move to remote learning and new safety restrictions during the start of the pandemic, WSFR was unable to host the 2020 lock-in last spring.
This year’s lock-in was hosted by WSFR members Olivia Dulong, Chris Sliwa and Harry Hunter.
The Healthcare Heroes Fund was founded to support the healthcare professionals and staff of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We chose the Healthcare Heroes Fund because obviously it’s super timely. We wanted to give back to the people who’ve spent almost the past year… dedicating their time and their efforts to being at the frontlines of the pandemic,” said Dulong, WSFR’s general manager.
The lock-in raised a total of $650 for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Dulong said that while the pandemic has made life challenging for everyone, it ended up bringing WSFR together.
“Being in a pandemic has given us a lot more creative ways to get students involved,” she said.
By utilizing Zoom, students are still able to host radio shows and podcasts with multiple people while following COVID-19 safety guidelines.
“It was definitely something really special to be a part of especially with all of the hard work that was put in to make it happen,” said Sliwa. “Being able to raise money for such a great cause is always something to feel proud of.”
This year, the lock-in was hosted in the Sawyer Building’s Stoll room rather than the WSFR studio, allowing the hosts to maintain social distance throughout the broadcast. Despite the obstacles, they were still able to host safely.
“For me the lock-in is the culmination of all the work we do over the school year,” said Hunter. “Our shows and podcasts work very hard every week on their content and their segments on the lock in reflect that.”
Students can reach out to any WSFR E-Board member on social media or fill out the form on their website to pitch their own radio show. WSFR encourages all students to get involved in the station and tap into their creative side.
“Whether you have a radio show or podcast, you have the freedom to do whatever you want with it and having that to call your own comes with a lot of pride,” said Sliwa.
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