Radio star gets Optimist Award

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WINC-FM personality Barry Lee's program has raised more than $1 million

By Candace Sipos -- csipos@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Maybe for Barry Lee money really does grow on trees, or maybe he just has a very motivating presence.

Lee, a 92.5 WINC-FM personality, didn't even have his sights set on radio. He was born in Washington, grew up in Fairfax and moved to Florida for his father's job. After graduating college with a degree in secondary education, he moved back to Virginia with all intentions of becoming a teacher.

"Back then, there were just no teaching jobs," he said.

But he noticed an ad in the paper announcing that this employer would teach someone the ropes, if only he or she would be willing to work. The job happened to be at a small radio station in Middletown.

"I always thought radio would be fun," Lee said, but it was difficult to get into the business in Miami. "I went down and interviewed and got the job."

Almost 35 years later, he's still chugging away in front of a microphone, starting promptly at 5 a.m.

"I guess I'm just a morning person," he said. "I love starting the day with folks ... it drives my family nuts on vacation when I'm up at the crack of dawn."

He might have stayed up later than normal on Wednesday evening, when he was officially recognized as the Optimist Club of Winchester's Community Leader of the Year.

"It was quite an honor, and I know over the years in reading about who they've selected, it's nice company to keep," he said.

The Club listed his Chain of Checks campaign as his "most impressive contribution" to the community in a press release. Chain of Checks has raised more than $1 million since its inception in 1986, when Lee asked his listeners to send in just $1 each to create a literal chain of checks around the studio during Christmastime.

What he thought might raise about $500 that first year ended up reaching more than $2,700, which went directly to the Congregational Community Action Project of Winchester to buy blankets and heating oil for residents in need. Fran Ricketts, CCAP president and recipient of last's year Community Leader of the Year Award, said the organization received $98,000 from Chain of Checks another year.

"It was such a blessing," Ricketts said. "[Lee] is such a wonderful person. ... God's gift to this community."

She added that the Optimist Club "couldn't have picked a better person" for the award.
This year, the Chain of Checks donations will go toward Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winchester, Frederick and Clarke Counties for a new program benefiting children who have at least one incarcerated parent, Lee noted.

"We always look for people [who] are making an unusual effort to make the world a better place than when they found it," said P.L. "Bob" Bartley, one of the past distinguished district governors of the Optimist Club and one of the two remaining charter members.

Bartley said the Optimist Club will make a cash contribution to Chain of Checks in Lee's honor.