Fall Fundraiser is here, and it’s all hands on deck at CKUA! It takes the entire community working together to make a fundraising campaign successful. Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at some of the amazing events we’re planning, as well as the people behind the planning and execution of our fundraiser. This week, we’re looking at you: the donors who power CKUA, and the reasons why you keep the beat alive!
For many donors, CKUA has become a part of daily life. Barb from Edmonton reflects, “I can’t remember when I wasn’t a CKUA listener!” For some, like Dianne Briers from Red Deer, CKUA has even become part of her household: “You are a part of my everyday; the hosts seem like family to me.”
Many donors start off their day with a CKUA program, like Dusty from Thunder Bay, who kicks off his early mornings with The Road Home: “It brings a sense of peace and wonder to begin another day on the job as a truck driver on a construction crew. CKUA has been a welcome addition to my life since 1987.”
CKUA supporters recognize the important role that our station plays in Alberta’s arts community, like Helen Payette from Calgary: “Having a radio station which champions not just music, but all arts in Alberta, is incredibly valuable. Being supported by a community of listeners, rather than being at the whims of big corporations, is hugely important.”
Community is at the heart of everything CKUA does. “Just this year, on my birthday, my partner sent in a song request to Grant on Alberta Morning,” Calgary donor and volunteer Kay Rollans recalls. “The feeling of community I got from getting a happy birthday message on air was the highlight of my day, despite it being right at the beginning.”
For Rollans, that same connection was felt later this year, in a moment that was perhaps even more personal. “A donor gave their donated hour to my aunt-in-law to celebrate the life of a family member who passed. She helped curate a playlist for the hour, and Grant did such a wonderful and sensitive job helping the family remember this person. I’ve never heard something like that on the radio anywhere else.”
These experiences have stayed with Rollans, who sees CKUA as much more than a radio station: “[It’s] not just a place to listen to and discover music, like Spotify or Apple Music. It’s a living thing that goes a long way to giving people a sense of care and belonging, and that’s pretty incredible.”
Please join us for Fall Fundraiser, October 17 – 26. We would love to receive your donation, share your comments, and play your musical suggestion. Keep the beat: You power CKUA!
