George Augustus Palmer (February 14, 1895 – January 11, 1981)[1] was an American Protestant clergyman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who started the long-running Morning Cheer radio broadcast in 1931, which eventually had an international outreach.

[2][3] He founded the "Sandy Cove" Christian camp and conference center on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in nearby North East, Maryland, in 1946.

[5] When Palmer was twenty years old, he answered an altar call at a Methodist church in Masonville, New Jersey, where his family had moved, and became a born again Christian.

The live broadcast's informal tone appealed to listeners, with Palmer's wife and young pre-school children singing and the family dog sometimes heard barking in the background.

[13][14] The early-morning program typically included an uplifting meditation by Palmer and scripture readings to encourage the listening audience amidst the Great Depression.

[13] Undeterred, Palmer continued with the live broadcast, reporting to his rapt radio audience the arrival of fire engines as sirens were heard in the background and then describing the firemen's activities as they moved about the house, assuring listeners that the four canaries and his family were safely evacuated to the front lawn.

[17] Headlined the next day by the New York Herald Tribune, "Fire in House, Radio Minister Keeps Talking",[13] the story was picked up by the wire services and retold, greatly exaggerated to make it sound as though Palmer bravely remained at his post preaching the Gospel while flames were practically licking at his feet.

[12] The "Morning Cheer Men's Trio" was a popular feature, making frequent appearances at area churches and Youth for Christ rallies by the 1950s.

[27] Palmer participated in the dedication of the hospital upon completion of construction in 1955 and co-authored the book, Medicine, the magnet, about the medical missionary work of Paul Roberts there.

[24] Palmer founded the "Sandy Cove" Christian conference center and camp on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland, in 1946.

[31][32] His Morning Cheer non-profit organization was formed to own and operate the 450-acre (180 ha) property, along with corporate offices and a bookstore on Walnut Street in Philadelphia.

Notable speakers in past years have included Cal Thomas, Tony Campolo, Ravi Zacharias, Donald Barnhouse, William Culbertson III, J. Vernon McGee, and John F.

[33] In its defense, Morning Cheer's attorneys argued that its purpose was "the spread of the knowledge of the saving grace of the Lord" and Palmer said, "We have ministered to the poor and we have carried the Gospel to the ends of the earth".

[32] The camps offered swimming, sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, horseback riding, and other recreational activities, along with inspirational speakers and Christian counselors.

[41] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sandy Cove Conference Center and campgrounds sustained a reduction of 10,000 attendees resulting in $2 million less revenue in the spring of 2020 while temporarily closed, compared to a normal year.

[31] In a year-end report for 2020 to supporters of Sandy Cove Ministries, President and CEO 2019 Stephen J. Weaver said that total annual revenues were $7.4 million in 2019, the last full year of normal operations before the pandemic curtailed activities.