Gaston College’s radio station WSGE receives generous gift

Estate of long-time supporter Robert McBurney donates $100,000

The Gaston College Foundation has received a generous donation from the estate of Robert McBurney, who died on November 11, 2020. The donation is intended specifically for WSGE 91.7 FM, the College’s on-campus radio station. McBurney, of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, was a long-time supporter of WSGE and a member of its Independent Music Society’s Headliners Club and Hall of Fame Club.

McBurney, a fan of the station’s beach and gospel music programming, made his first donation to WSGE in 2006 and consistently gave his financial support and issued matching gift challenges during the non-profit station’s fundraising drives. McBurney’s estate gift of $100,000 – the largest donation in WSGE’s 41-year history – follows nearly $70,000 in support over the years.

Cathis Hall, WSGE’s Station Manager since 2006, is extremely honored and grateful for McBurney’s generosity. “Throughout my years of knowing Mr. McBurney, I found him to be a warm and giving person who truly desired to see the station prosper,” she said. “He never wanted on-air recognition—he was a man who gave from his heart. With the financial blessings he has bestowed on us, I believe he was WSGE’s angel.”

When presenting the donation to WSGE on October 30, John and Tracy Stiff, close friends of McBurney and executors of his estate, said, “Bob loved the station so much, and he was a big fan of [WSGE deejays] Kyle Beam, Johnny B., and Junior Norfleet for years. He was a very generous man who left most of his estate to charity.”

“I am grateful for the legacy of giving by Mr. McBurney to the Gaston College Foundation,” said Luke Upchurch, the Foundation’s Executive Director. “His generosity and dedication to WSGE through his estate gift, along with the contributions from WSGE’s community of supporters, will ensure the financial stability of the station for years to come.”