Community radio station WCOM in Carrboro provides 24/7 programming, with an all-volunteer staff. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any bills to pay.

On Thursday, the Hickory Tavern will help WCOM pay some of those bills, and the public is invited to help, too.

WCOM host and DJ Art Menius is proud of WCOM, the 100-watt community radio station for Chapel Hill and Carrboro — “the very first low-power license granted by the FCC,” said Menius, “and we’re in our 11th year of broadcasting now, at 103.5 on the FM dial – although most people listen online, I think.”

He said that while WCHL is “the station that’s all about Chapel Hill and Carrboro,” his station WCOM is “the station that’s all by Chapel Hill and Carrboro.”

“Our programming is created by about 60 volunteers who come in for shows ranging from an hour to three hours, once a week,” said Menius.

Programs include book-review shows, discussions of current events, and of course, music that you never hear on commercial radio. It leans heavy on Americana, but you never know what to expect.

It’s easy to imagine that many listeners discovered WCOM while surfing the dial, only to be startled by something as non-mainstream as “AbbaZabba” by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, sandwiched between the hit oldies on KIX 102.9 and urban gospel on The Light 103.9.

Making that unique kind of radio magic happen – even with an all-volunteer crew – still requires some funding, of course.

On May 7, from 5 until 10 p.m. Carrboro’s Hickory Tavern in the Hampton Inn will host a “WCOM Community Radio Celebration & Fundraiser.”

Ten percent of all food sales will go to WCOM, based on receipts placed in a marked bin.

“We keep our budget really lean,” said Menius. “It’s usually around $14,000-to-$15,000 a year to provide 24/7 programming, and for an entire year. So our biggest expense is rent, which is normally about 70 percent of our budget. We rent from the ArtsCenter.”

Music will be provided by the Far From Done Ukelele Band.

The Hickory Tavern is located at 370 East Main Street in Carrboro.