Laura Westman has lived in Saskatoon for more than a decade, but she still tunes in to the radio station that captured her imagination in Alberta more than twenty-five years ago.
“I was introduced to CKUA by a friend in 1997, and I began donating in 1999 when I got my first ‘real’ job after graduating from university. I was always motivated by the ‘double your dollars’ segments during the fundraising campaign.”
She appreciates the eclectic programming CKUA offers. “I like hearing the familiar voices of various program hosts,” she says, and laughs, “I may or may not have developed parasocial relationships with them over the years.”
Wide Cut Country is a favourite program. Laura says, “It was the show that pulled me in to become a regular listener.”
Laura uses the app to stream CKUA. Plus, she says, “We keep a list of all of the Alberta stations from Hanna to Red Deer to Calgary to Edmonton and Lloydminster so that we can tune in whenever we get across the Alberta border from Saskatchewan!
A monthly, ongoing donation works best for Laura and her family. “When I first started donating to CKUA, I always did a lump sum during the fundraising campaigns. However, as I began working in the non-profit sector, I realized the financial importance of an organization having a steady base of monthly donors. I switched to a monthly donation and can now be confident that I’m supporting CKUA all year round. CKUA keeps me connected to my Alberta roots. It’s an invaluable cultural resource that can never be taken for granted!”
When asked what song she would send out to her fellow CKUA listeners, Laura chose Summer Sun by the Ruen Brothers. It’s been a favourite since she saw them perform at the Edmonton Folk Fest this year.
Thank you, Laura, for being a monthly donor.
If you would like to support CKUA with a monthly donation, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch today at CKUA.com/support.
Park Power
