Open Doors have golden hinges, and when they are opened wide, the best that life can offer is found waiting there inside...Craig E Sathoff

Twenty-six years ago, on November 28, 1983, WGCY Radio Station in Gibson City signed on the air for the first time. Several years of hard work and determination by John and Bill Noble and my husband, Gary McCullough proceeded that. Back in those days it was considerably harder to get a license to broadcast from the Federal Communications Commission in Washington D.C. Lots of paperwork, aggravation, ups and downs, insides and outs, legalities, formalities, studies, in other words, lots of patience and diligence was required. I remember well the day the construction permit was officially granted, it was the Friday before Labor Day and to add to the excitement, I was two weeks overdue to give birth to our second child. I had just been informed by the Doctor on my visit the Thursday prior that if I was still walking around "with child" on Tuesday after Labor Day, I was to present myself at the hospital bright and early to get things moving. The construction permit was granted the next day, Friday. My hubby got busy on the phone with engineers, carpenters, and equipment salesmen, virtually anybody involved in the preparation work for the Radio Station to make appointments for Tuesday morning. He looked at me with a perplexed look when I asked him, "Have you forgotten something"? "What, he said"? I calmly spoke "We have to go to the hospital Tuesday morning to have this baby, because you know it's not going to happen this week-end." Not missing a beat, he asked me, and I kid you not, "Do you think you can be done by One o'clock"? I remember laughing and said, "Well, I'll do the best I can." So, he put all his appointments off until Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday morning came, we deposited Frank at the Grandparents and trotted off to the hospital around 7:30a.m., I got admitted to the hospital, got things moving along, did my Lamaze breathing and proudly produced our daughter, Ashley at exactly 1:08p.m. I have always taken great pride in that little feat, and always say, "Wasn't I a very accommodating wife"? By 2:00 pm he was out the door and on to his appointments. Less than three months later, WGCY signed on the air waves for the first time. Between son Frank starting pre-school, daughter Ashley being born and getting the Radio Station started up, the next three months were a complete blur. Hubby was gone most of the time, over seeing equipment installation, construction of the Radio Station studios, getting towers erected, printing done, employees hired, over seeing a million and one details. We saw very little of him during that period. I remember how excited and proud we all were to hear a voice say, "WGCY Radio Station, 106.3 FM" for the first time. There have been alot of changes in twenty-six years. John and Bill Noble sold their portion of the station to my Father-in-law, Fred McCullough some years ago and it officially became "F & G Broadcasting, Inc", standing for my Father-in-laws first initial along with my husband Garys' first initial. WGCY has been a family collaboration ever since. I began working at the Station in January of 1986, in fact, my first day working at the Station turned out to be the day the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded and I got a phone call from my children's babysitter telling me what she and all the kids had just witnessed on television. I will never forget that day. WGCY moved it's studios to the building next door, what used to be Steinberg Chiropractic Offices and Grant & Ross Credit Union in November of 1989. Son Frank started helping his dad by keeping the stats during basketball games when he was about age twelve. He also recorded commercial spots at the station at an early age, when a child's voice was required. He later starting helping his dad broadcast basketball games and then football, later. He graduated with a degree in Broadcasting & Communications and started working full-time at the Station after his graduation. He is the current Sports Director and is an advertising salesperson, also. Frank is invaluable to his parents in the day to day operations at the Radio Station. Frank is married to the former Casey Hornstein of Melvin and they are expecting their first child in June of 2010. Daughter Ashley also has done alot of commercial recording throughout the years and worked at WGCY her Senior year of High School at GCMS High School, as a student with the Vocational Cooperative Education Program. Ashley is married to Jimmy Willoby of Pekin and they have a two year old son, Jack. She works as an Aesthetician for Dr. Jeremy Hendrichs, at the Paxton Clinic. Sometimes it gets a little interesting working with your family, but we all have our respective jobs to perform and we keep busy and out of each others hair, most of the time. We have also been very fortunate to have a dedicated and hard-working staff throughout the years, some have come and gone, some have been there for quite a few years. To all of them, we say, "Thank you". There have been a few changes in these twenty-six years, but one thing will never change and that is this family's dedication to serving the Gibson City and surrounding area with beautiful music, sports, news, and all of the other services it provides. We have been privileged to serve the area for twenty-six years. Our family has called Gibson City our home for many years and we have great love and pride for our hometown and are very thankful for all the wonderful advertisers we have had throughout the years. We especially appreciate all the loyal listeners we have, and have enjoyed speaking with, or hearing from them, from time to time. We always appreciate the kind words and compliments we receive and strive to have a Radio Station that we, our listeners, and advertisers can be proud of. My husband, Gary had a dream many years ago that he could come back to his hometown, that he loves so much, and start a Radio Station and I am very proud that he was able to fulfill his dream. It all started many years ago, on Saturday nights we would sit down in his basement, when we were in High School, and he would play records on an old record player and tell me of a dream he had. I knew then, when I heard him speak and saw the look on his face that he would accomplish that, I had no doubt. So, we will continue on as a family owned and operated Radio Station in the town we are so very proud to call our hometown, Gibson City. On to the next 26 years and God willing, beyond!