WOKB’s recent achievement makes you feel like saying: Yes we can. Yes we did. 

WOKB Team Members. Front Row from left: Glenn Allgood, Shanti Persaud, Lady Drina and Rodney Johnson. Back row from left: Chris Shaw and Brother Gerrille. Photo by: Kalila Foy

The gospel radio station at 1680 on the AM dial recently won the title of Best Radio Station of the Year (Large Market) at the 32nd Annual Stellar Award show in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The Stellar Gospel Music Awards show,  which aired April 9 on TV One and scheduled to air again on May 8 and May 14 on Bounce TV,  is produced by Chicago-based Central City Productions, Inc. and has become the premier Gospel event that recognizes and honors African-American artists, according to the show’s website.

Nominees for all of the categories for this year’s show went through a process of applying, screening and online voting (by the general public). WOKB’s award was one of six handed out to top radio stations from around the country. 

WOKB listeners rallied behind the station when Operations Manager Shanti Persaud put the word out that the station had been nominated. The listeners and fans voted online as often as possible and the rest…as they say, is history! 

The station had applied once before but this time around, the station made it through the application process and went all the way through, Persaud said during a recent interview.

“I feel like, really?” she said. 

Persaud’s acceptance speech was concise but very heartfelt.

“I thank God for leading me, my dad for pushing me into this position and giving me the opportunity and the Stellars. But really, this awards goes to my listeners, my supporters, especially my team at WOKB! We are Central Florida’s Longest Running Gospel Radio Station. It’s hard to go wrong when you have a team that shares the same passion for our community. Thank you so much. This is such an honor. Thank you!”

WOKB is unique in that you will not only hear inspirational music but also sermons by local and national preachers, national programming, sports commentary; real talk on various topics, as well as helpful information on finance, real estate and the law. 

WOKB, with offices at 50 South Clarke Road in Ocoee, has been broadcasting in Central Florida since 1956.

Kudos to Persaud (who’s often seen out and about, along with team members, in the Central Florida community) and the entire WOKB team: Glenn Allgood, Brother Gerrille, Chris Shaw; Lady Drina, Lady D and everyone else who work at the station including those behind the scenes. Way to go to all of you who make up the WOKB family! God did that – with the team effort! 

© Orlando Community News, 2017