Donated hours are an important fundraising tool for CKUA. They also provide unique opportunities for connection. When a host gets in touch with a listener who has donated an hour, a conversation begins. And by the time a donated hour comes to air, it’s so much more than a playlist. It’s a carefully curated blend of words and music, a collaborative experience among the host, the donor, and the wider CKUA audience. We asked CKUA’s hosts to tell us what donated hours mean to them, and the responses all had a common theme: community.
Host Amy van Keeken says, “I always learn so much from donors when collaborating on their donated hours. I’ve been introduced to new artists, and have been presented with interesting and fun themes to incorporate into the programming. Donated hours rule! It’s an honour to do them and it’s such a special radio feature that only exists on CKUA. A beautiful way to connect community.”
Cam Hayden agrees. “I love to connect with listeners. I love hearing and sharing their CKUA stories, and finding out what they’d like to hear. Sometimes they request artists or tunes that I’m not familiar with, that are very, very good.”
Leo Cripps recognizes that a donated hour is an affirmation of CKUA. He says simply, “It’s a connection between us and the listeners. It’s a way they can show that they appreciate what we as announcers do, and the value they place on the radio station.”
Donated hours are particularly important to Terry David Mulligan, whose program, Mulligan Stew, features them often. He is conscientious about tying all the elements together to create a shared listening experience for host, donor, and listeners. “I love that I get choked up sometimes,” he says. “I’m just reading their words, the notes about remembering people. I learn what someone gave to a family, what they did to earn the love of the family.”
He adds that he considers it money well spent. “It’s for your heart and your soul, and your family and your friends, because you get to hear some tunes that will bring back memories. It’s your show.”
If you would like to donate an hour of CKUA programming, or learn more about this way to support CKUA, visit our Donated Hours page.
