It’s National Volunteer Week! To celebrate, we’d like to introduce you to CKUA volunteer extraordinaire, Roger Bryan. He’s also a donor and a listener. As we move closer to launching our Spring Fundraiser, it’s the perfect moment to highlight an indomitable soul who is an important part of keeping CKUA going.
Roger has been volunteering with CKUA for eight years. He started when his daughter Marina interned at CKUA. She asked if he’d help out at a Spring Fundraiser. He came, he helped, and he’s been lending his talents ever since.
It’s gratifying, he says.
“As a volunteer for CKUA you’re welcomed, you get to meet some wonderful people, you get to see how some of the music industry operates… I think that, for myself, is a great reward,” says Bryan. “It just gives me this warm feeling that I’m doing something that is supporting the arts and the music industry within Alberta and Canada.”
His friendly, knowledgeable nature was noticed at that first Spring Fundraiser and he was soon asked to lead tours of CKUA’s Edmonton operations, at Alberta Hotel. He has also volunteered at events, like the JUNO Couch last year and our more recent fundraising events. It’s fun being in the music-loving mix, he says.
“I think brushing shoulders with these artists and with all the people on staff who work at CKUA, it gives me a lot of energy. I’d say the people that I’ve had the opportunity to meet as a volunteer, that’s a huge positive benefit that I’ve received from volunteering at CKUA.”
The feeling is mutual from staff. “Whenever we see Roger’s smiling face, we all know it’s going to be a great day,” says Events and Volunteer Coordinator Karen Howell. “We’re so fortunate at CKUA to have knowledgeable and passionate people like Roger on our volunteer team.”
Bryan, a retired agrologist, first discovered CKUA in 2002, at a colleague’s recommendation.
“I’ve got very eclectic taste and as I started to become more of a listener I thought, ‘wow, this is such a fantastic resource,’” he says. “A lot of people say ‘oh Roger, you know so much about music.’ I attribute that all to CKUA and the announcers.”
He’s learned a lot about CKUA as well. “It has such an illustrious history,” he says. “And it’s getting better and better.”
“It’s such a transparent and open organization. It’s another thing I really enjoy about it, given all the things that are going on in the world right now. It’s one of those bastions of hope.”
If you come to one of CKUA’s exciting Spring Fundraiser events, you may get the chance to meet Bryan.
“I encourage everyone to donate what they can to CKUA during the upcoming Spring Fundraiser,” he says. “I have lots of hope that we’ll continue to have this radio station for many years to come. It’s just a matter of pulling all the people together to make it happen. It’s a huge effort. It takes a community.”
Be a part of that community! You don’t need to wait for a Fundraiser, support CKUA today.
Interested in joining our gang of fun, friendly volunteers? Learn more here.
Bryan’s song recommendation, “Cradle Me” by Mallory Chipman.
Says Bryan, “I connected with Mallory last year when she released her new album As Though I Had Wings when she announced it was based on her love of wetlands and grasslands in Alberta and the associated birds and other wildlife that depend on conserving them. As someone who has worked in wildlife habitat conservation programming with farmers and ranchers throughout my career as an agrologist with Ducks Unlimited and the Canadian Wildlife Service, I told her how much I appreciated her using her voice to tell others about the importance of protecting these important natural areas. Where did I first hear about Mallory’s new album? CKUA, of course! I also learned first on CKUA that Mallory is Tommy Banks’ granddaughter. Talk about strong connections to CKUA!”
Park Power
