By Scout Nicholson / The Jambar
It’s a beautiful day in Youngstown, and 88.5 WYSU-FM is asking the community to be its neighbor in support of its annual fall fundraiser during October.
After raising over $200,000 in 2025, the station aims to raise more money by following the theme of the Public Broadcasting Service’s “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” with its own morning broadcaster, Morris Ray, hosting “Mo Ray’s Neighborhood.”
Ray has worked as WYSU’s “Morning Edition” host for five years, where he broadcasts between national reports to announce the weather and WYSU’s sponsors. Ray said he’s always considered himself a “news junkie” and even worked at 570 WKBN for 20 years.
“I spent 20 years at WKBN 570. It was talk radio. I was a frequent caller, and I met the programming director. He asked me if I wanted a show, and I had lunch with him on a Thursday, and I was on the radio that Sunday night,” Ray said.
As a way to highlight Youngstown’s community and local businesses, WYSU created a miniature version of Youngstown, inspired by Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
“All these local businesses really help keep us going, but what helps us the most are people in the neighborhood, the listeners who send us donations or pledges, as we call them, and that really matters,” Ray said. “We also do what we call day sponsors, where they can help pay a little money, and we will do their message.”
Citizens can participate and help build the town by picking up free wooden building blocks at local businesses including:
- Westside Bowl
- Culturehouse Coffee Co.
- Trek Coffee House
- Branch Street Coffee Roasters
- Birdfish Brewing Co.
- Modern Methods Brewing Company.
Ray said once the blocks are painted and returned to WYSU, participants will be entered into a contest to win a model train set.
WYSU will bring “Mo Ray’s Neighborhood” to life Oct. 24 with a free trolley ride on the Cohasset Express in partnership with Mill Creek MetroParks. Spots are available at 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. or 5 p.m.
During the final week of October, WYSU will host its on-air pledge drive where people can call the station to donate. Major donors and foundations will have the opportunity to match donations made by listeners during certain hours.
With NPR’s funding cuts in 2025, Ray highlighted the importance of supporting public radio with donations to keep the station running.
“All of this is even more important than ever now because of the funding cuts that happened under the current administration,” Ray said. “That was a lot of money that was taken away from PBS and NPR stations. But we actually had our biggest fund drive ever — ironically, last year, the first year of that cut.”
Those interested in donating can call WYSU at 330-941-3363 or donate online at wysu.org. To reserve a time slot for the trolley ride, participants can email anvallas@ysu.edu.
“We need you. We need you more than ever, and we appreciate you,” Ray said. “Your appreciation is shown with your gifts to [WYSU], and we try to make sure that those gifts come back to you in quality broadcast.”