Celebrating One Year of the Smiles Project with Beatrice Bakery

LINCOLN, NE, December 8th, 2022 – 93.7 The Ticket FM (KNTK) and Beatrice Bakery announce the one-year anniversary of their joint Smiles Project, where they have given out more than 500 cakes in recognition of local heroes in the Lincoln community for their unsung good deeds and acts of kindness to help our neighbors. The daily Smiles Project was created by Derrick Pearson, owner of The Ticket, as part of a collaboration between the station and the bakery. The goal was to give fruitcake care packages and other dessert treats to Lincoln residents who demonstrated exceptional service in their community, and to create positive and connected momentum to fuel a more positive community outlook.

Each week, and often every day, for more than a year, the on-air talk hosts at 93.7 FM The Ticket, an all-sports station, have been receiving nominations from listeners to identify the unsung heroes in and around Lincoln. Coming out of COVID there has been no shortage of good deeds but not enough recognition. Nominees have included teachers, first responders, police officers, healthcare workers and their staffs, but also hidden stories in the spouses of The Ticket listeners working with foster children, parents and the amazing, good people within the Lincoln community.

“Beatrice Bakery has been a hidden gem, located in Beatrice, Nebraska, producing fruitcake since 1917. But at the core of its culture is caring for the community. The residents of Beatrice know us well, but right down the street in Lincoln, we are mostly unknown. Recognizing our neighbors and good Samaritans with our famous Grandma’s fruitcake or liqueur cakes puts a smile on the face of somebody who doesn’t always get recognized and lets them know we appreciate them as part of the greater Nebraska community.” says Rick Meyer, President of Beatrice Bakery Company.

“Having Beatrice Bakery as part of The Ticket family helps bring to life the underlying motivation for my wife Rebecca and I to invest in the community and 93.7 FM The Ticket. We are here to not only provide real sports talk to the community, but to demonstrate the care and impact that smiles and acts of kindness can have on an individual and our community.” said Derrick Pearson.

Listeners can nominate community members to receive a Beatrice Bakery care package here.