UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Community is the heartbeat of WPSU and the station is inviting everyone to join in a celebration of appreciation and unity with three special events in May during WPSU’s Campaign for Community beginning with "Red Sweater Day" on May 1.
“Public Media Stations can only thrive with continual support from the viewers and listeners, and we want to take this opportunity to thank the supporters of WPSU for their ongoing pledge to protect public media and the programming that has become a part of our everyday lives, from childhood through adulthood,” said Isabel Reinert, executive director and general manager for WPSU. “Campaign for Community will give us the opportunity to personally reach out and talk with our neighbors and supporters, and it is fitting to begin that conversation with a nod to Fred Rogers. Community and kindness were always at the heart of his work, and we want to take the month of May to reflect on that sense of belonging with all our WPSU members, neighbors and supporters.”
WPSU is inviting the community to the following admission-free events:
Red Sweater Day
May 1
4-6 p.m., community photo will be taken at 5:30 p.m.; Outreach Building Lobby, Innovation Park, University Park campus
WPSU will be hosting Red Sweater Day, where the community is invited to gather at the Outreach Building in Innovation Park. Meet Daniel Tiger and take a tour of WPSU studios while donning a red sweater in honor of Fred Rogers. A community photo will be taken in the Outreach Building lobby at 5:30 p.m. There will be food, fun, entertainment, interactive activities and opportunities for the community to show its support for WPSU.
WPSU at State College First Friday
May 3, 5-8 p.m., Downtown State College
WPSU will be broadcasting live at 3 Dots Downtown during State College First Friday. Community members can sign up to join the Protect My Public Media campaign to help advocate for public media services and write a love letter about their favorite public programming.
143 (I Love You) Day
May 22
143 Day is a Pennsylvania-wide day-of-kindness initiative where everyone is encouraged to show an act of kindness to their neighbors in celebration of the legacy of Fred Rogers who often referred to 1-4-3 as a special code that stands for “I love you” — as it refers to the number of letters in each word. The WPSU team will be showing their gratitude to supporters on May 22 by reaching out to them by phone and sending letters. Community members are encouraged to share their acts of kindness for their neighbors by posting a photo on social media and tagging @WPSU and use the hashtag #143DayInPA.
WPSU-TV, a Pennsylvania Public Service (PBS) member station, serves 24 counties in central Pennsylvania and reaches 515,000 households, and WPSU-FM is accessible to more than 450,000 listeners in 13 counties. The public media station also includes WPSU Digital Studios, which offers original web series that explore science, arts, and culture.
WPSU is a service of Penn State Outreach.