By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Dillinger’s Event Center in Bucyrus was the place to be Saturday night as WQEL celebrated its 50th anniversary.
While the golden gala for the station was held Saturday, the station went on the air live on April Fool’s Day in 1964 as WBCO-FM a sister to the AM station of WBCO.
Tom Moore, who started the station with wife LaVonne, looked back to that first day.
“The very first time that we turned the station on, early morning, and I heard the sound coming out of my radio, the first thought that went through my mind was my God what have I started now, because from that minute on every day without fail we had to have programming to service this community. Of course at the time we didn’t know the community that well, but we worked hard in order to develop ourselves as part of the community.”
“We are very excited about what happened with the station. I think it has done well ever since we retired. I still miss it at times,” Moore continued.
Donna Laipply, who purchased the station from the Moore’s, reflected on their period of ownership.
“My husband Mike and I had purchased it from Tom and LaVonne I had been an employee for them beginning in 1991, and we developed an interest in purchasing the station from them, and we were able to do that,” Laipply said. “We purchased it in January of 1998 and eight days later our son Wesley was born. Wesley then had the opportunity to spend part of his life in this amazing community.”
“For WQEL to be 50 that is a fantastic milestone and we are so excited to be here to share in the celebration of this milestone,” Laipply continued.
Bucyrus City Mayor Roger Moore was on hand for the event in which he proclaimed April 4, 2014 as WQEL Day for the city of Bucyrus.
Prior to delivering the proclamation Moore shared the importance that the station has brought to the community.
“They have been a sounding board for a lot of community events and activities, and bringing news to the local community. We are just blessed to have them,” Moore said. “Last year or the year before we celebrated WBCO’s success, and now we are doing it all over again, so we are wishing them another happy 50 years.”
Executive Director of the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce Debra Pinion recalled her time at the station.
“Well I personally worked at WBCO/WQEL for 13 or 14 years, and what a staple in our community. It got us through a blizzard; people were hanging on every word on the radio during the blizzard. They have celebrated our great successes in the community. I worked for Tom and LaVonne Moore, and I couldn’t ask for better people to work for,” Pinion said. “When someone asks me, ‘where did you learn this?’ I say, ‘Tom Moore taught me.’ and they understand. The radio station is a huge asset to our community. People who travel into our community and listen to the station can tell that we are a friendly community.”
Gene Luidhardt, a former head of the newsroom, said of WQEL, “It has been a home; we are almost like a close knit family. I think when we were broadcasting it came across the airwaves that way also. We would have a number of listeners that would tune in the morning especially, and they would wonder what I and John Michaels were going to be up to for that day. They would tune in and then we would here about it on the street later that day ‘did you hear what Gene and John were doing today?’
“And of course that felt good because we were bringing them in to be members of the family also.”
Fans of the station Kim and Cindy Smalley shared their joy of Q 92.7.
“We really enjoyed after the football games when our son was going through sports with football and baseball for Wynford, and listen to what Davey Jones had to say in the evenings. We also really like the music because it is from our era.”
Jones, who is at the helm of Friday Night Phone Board as well as a member of the sales department at the station, was on hand for the event.
“It’s been a job, it has been an income. I enjoy every minute of it, and I still enjoy it. I enjoy calling my clients, I enjoy doing the sports talk shows, I really genuinely enjoy the time,” Jones said. “There is a lot of time you have to put into it. It has changed a little bit over the last 50 years; all of the changes have been positive for the radio station, and positive for the community.”
John Stewert, who manned the mic as morning DJ in the mid 80’s, reflected as well.
“It has been a good station I called it seat of the pants radio back then after I met the owner Tom Moore,” Stewert said. “I learned a lot. I was on the tour and it brings back memories it was like being home.”
To attend the event a donation to the Humane Society Serving Crawford County was accepted.
Attendee Larry Beech shared his enjoyment for the station.
“I like to win money and prizes on there. They treat me really good.”
The Cellar Dwellers rocked the night away delivering an eclectic mix of country, pop and classic rock.