Is NPR really commercial free?

That is how they describe themselves, but they go on for up to about five minutes at a time telling about their “proud supporters”. When I am listening in my car, I shut the radio off for a few minutes. At least four times a year they have pledge drives that sound like long infomercials. These all seem like commercials to me. Forget about all the worthless gifts they offer for giving them extra money. The one thing I would pay extra for is not have to hear the supposedly non-existent commercials.