WXOU presents Haiti-Palooza, all-day concert to benefit relief efforts

By Katie Land, news editor

In the wake of the recent earthquake in Haiti, Oakland University’s own radio station 88.3 FM WXOU has organized an all day live benefit, Haiti-palooza, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, in the Pioneer Food Court.

Donation tables will be set up to accept contributions, manned each hour by volunteers from different OU student organizations. All of the money raised will go directly to organizations that support the relief efforts.

The event will feature live entertainment, with roughly two acts scheduled for each hour. The groups will perform a wide variety of music, from rock and roll and hip hop to R & B and electronic. There will also be three slam poetry readings.

“We are so excited that people want to share in the effort and are willing to act and help make a change,” said Kirby Hairston, host of "The One O'clock Take Over" on WXOU.

Chartwells Food Service is also joining in the effort. They will be serving a lunch special with all of the proceeds going to the relief efforts.

Listeners will also be directed to organizations such as the Red Cross that will accept additional donations.

“We have never done an all day event before, and never with just a week’s notice. But we are certainly going to try,” said Erik Anderson, communications major and general manager of WXOU.

Everyone involved in Haiti-palooza is donating their time for the event. The money raised will be donated to the American/International Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Doctors without Borders, and Partners in Health.

Performers include student groups and local artists such as Black Bird Smile, Noafex, Lil solo, Coldmen Young, and Robo Robb.

To reflect campus unity, the university community is asked to wear OU apparel on Wednesday.

The performances will be broadcast live and streamed on wxou.org.