Spring Fundraiser launches April 17 with a Traffic Jams broadcast, live from The Ironwood Stage & Grill in Calgary. Your hosts will be Lisa Wilton and Kate Stevens. We thought it would be fun to ask them some fundraiser questions.
How many CKUA fundraisers have you done?
Kate: I didn’t do consecutive fundraisers until I started working at CKUA full-time. I think this is about my tenth!
Lisa: My first fundraiser shift was within a few weeks of me starting on the Saturday night program, The Takeaway, in April 2016. I think my first fundraiser co-hosts were Oskar Zybart and Amy van Keeken. So, I guess I’ve done about 20 now?!
Do you have a favourite fundraiser moment from years gone by?
Kate: My favourite fundraiser moment didn’t even happen on my show. It was when Andy was trying to trick Tom into donating so many times. And Andy kept saying, “Open the app again. Show us how to donate this way.” Tom said, “Well, in order to show you, I’ll have to donate $10.” Andy said, “Make it $20. Again, I don’t really understand how to do it. Can you explain to the listeners how to do it?” Tom ended up donating about fifty bucks on his own fundraiser shift. It was the funniest thing ever!
I also remember donating for the first time and hearing David Ward say my name on the air. I felt like I had made it! Also, during the last fundraiser, Kodi Hutchinson and I worked a shift together that had a Triple Your Dollars hour. It was insane! So those are my top three fundraiser moments.
Lisa: I fractured both my elbows two years ago and was off for a month, but I came back for the Spring Fundraiser. It was an important fundraiser and CKUA needed to raise a lot of money. It was nice to be back on air, for one thing. But also the outpouring of support from CKUA listeners, donors, and the music community was incredible.
What pair of CKUA hosts would you like to see working a fundraiser shift together? Can you think of an unlikely pair that just might be magic together?
Kate: Oooh, what a great question. I would love to hear Jeff Kynoch and Terry David Mulligan together. Jeff has so much knowledge, and Terry has so many wonderful stories. I think they would be a wild pair. Also, I would love to work with Allison Brock!
Lisa: I think Amy van Keeken and Tom Coxworth doing a psychedelic folk show would be very cool. Mark Rodgers and Andy Donnelly could come up with some musical mischief as well.
What is the best musical suggestion you have ever received during fundraiser?
Kate: There are some artists I love playing during fundraisers. Busty and the Bass. I love playing Alberta artists as well. Bill Bourne, Mariel Buckley. It’s fun to play artists that people might have discovered by listening to CKUA. The best part is when people have a story that accompanies their requests.
Lisa: I get a lot of great ones. I like a lot of the 80s requests that come in when I’m on the air with Keri Rak.
What is your go-to-snack when you’re working a fundraiser shift?
Kate: Coffee and more coffee, honestly!
Lisa: I hate to say it, but I tend to get into any Timbits that show up in the studio during the fundraiser.
Spring Fundraiser launches Friday, April 17, with a special broadcast of Traffic Jams, live from The Ironwood Stage & Grill. Kate and Lisa will be there! Will you? Find more info here.
Your donation is essential for CKUA’s future, and you can donate anytime at CKUA.com/donate
