Dan Palmer

We celebrate a Shining Star in our community who is truly the Voice of Northern Chautauqua County. A Dad, a Grandfather, and one of the kindest and most uplifting gentlemen most of us will ever have the chance to meet, our Shining Star is a much loved and respected iconic figure.

It is with great honor and pride that we recognize Shining Star Dan Palmer for his decades of extraordinary commitment highlighting the youth, athletes, events, and people in Chautauqua County. This loving Dad and Grandfather has been just that, to thousands of other children, teenagers, and young adults during his outstanding broadcasting career at WDOE AM, Kix 96.9 FM radio station.

While his accolades and recognition are vast, we look at the man behind the comforting and always recognizable Voice, and appreciate his empathy, compassion, and love of community.

Our mornings begin with his soothing timbre as he updates us on events, meetings, and sport statistics. His delivery of current happenings is far more than the average radio announcer produces, as each news story or highlight is given to us with Dan’s personal love and enthusiasm. There is no mistaking that every single playoff game, charity fundraiser, or large community event becomes a part of Dan Palmer’s heart and soul. It is his great joy to update his listeners on all that our surroundings have to offer. As our workday begins and we listen to him intently, we are inspired, filled with hope, and suddenly, the day ahead of us does not seem so daunting.

Dan Palmer is the Voice of recognition. In a world, especially of late, often filled with negativity, pessimism, and harsh critiques, this man continually shines light upon the often-unrecognized individuals in our community. The sacrifices and accomplishments of first responders, health professionals, athletes, students, schools, leaders, and employees come to life for us and seem to be standing in our kitchens as we, too, celebrate their achievements. We can hear the smile in Dan’s voice as he announces another Player or Person of the Day. If he met them once or a dozen times, the familiarity of family and friendship emanate from the speakers in our radios. The persons chosen to be featured by Dan become our personal heroes and heroines.

Dan Palmer is the Voice of hope. No matter the pandemic, lack of local sports, inability to worship in Church, postponement of High School and College commencement ceremonies, (the list is endless), we continue to tune into Dan to receive our morning fix of the hope and cheer that we have known and loved for decades. In a world where we are able to revisit the devastation and bleakness of political and health related crises twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, it is the proverbial breath of fresh air to listen to Dan as he brings us memories of the past so that we may all celebrate them again, together, as a whole and well community.

Dan Palmer is the Voice of a Father. He is always reassuring, he quietly helps us to see our best self, and is there for us when we are having a bad day. Our morning dose of Fatherly advice and wisdom comes with a click of a button or a turn of the dial! Dunkirk High School Senior and star basketball player, Amari Carter says, “Dan Palmer is like a Dad because he always has something nice to say about all the athletes and everyone in the community. He is always so encouraging.”

SUNY Fredonia graduate, Quinn Bankosksi states, that Dan is a “Huge supporter of the areas athletes and it’s such an honor to be recognized by him! A recognition by him is like the ultimate award in our area! He’s the one we would always get so excited to see when he would broadcast our games, because then we knew we were really getting recognized for something special!”

Many children who are on the field or the court may not have Dad present at their games at different times. What a blessing that masses of children have looked to Dan Palmer as that Fatherly presence!

From Dan’s inspirational posts on his Facebook page, to his kind and caring demeanor, to always uplifting people in our community, Dan flies under the radar a great deal of the time. He is a man who prefers that credit and admiration fall on those around him, far more than himself.

Kurt Maytum, President and CTO of DFT Communications and 1st Assistant Chief/Paramedic for the Fredonia Fire Company says it best, “Dan Palmer, a name synonymous with community support, pride, integrity and positivity. Dan, you certainly deserve a Dan Palmer week! Thank you so much for the recognition that you have given to the wonderful people in our community and throughout Chautauqua County and beyond. To all our front-line workers you have given light to, especially during EMS week. Thank you for always recognizing our youth for their athletic as well as their scholastic accomplishments and for giving them a stage when none was available for their graduation! You are a local Hero, thank you so much from all of us your followers and listeners Dan, I am proud to call you my friend!”

Dan Palmer, our Shining Star, you certainly are a true friend, the Voice of love, encouragement, hope, and inspiration. We are blessed to have you in our homes, in our cars, at our backyard barbecues. Thank You. Bless You for being that Dad to our children and the doting Grampa to our Grandchildren, on and off the field. We celebrate YOU this week, just as you have celebrated thousands of us throughout your successful reign in radio broadcast journalism.