Mae Schmitt is a free-spirited lover of music. The inclusive, friendly community vibe of CKUA drew her in right from the beginning, she says.
This mama of two (with the third on the way!) volunteered for the first time during the Spring Campaign and is now back helping out with Spring Campaign 2.0.
“I’ve been a listener for a long time,” she says. “It’s always been a really welcoming community, a cause that I really like to support and as I don’t have as much finances to support it, I give my time.”
She finds it’s a deeper experience, joining the CKUA gang in-person. “I’ve loved meeting everyone. It’s fun recognizing the voices, like when Baba and Grant come into the room,” she says. “The volunteers are from all different generations, different backgrounds — it’s an awesome community of like-minded people who love music.”
She says she’s also had had a great time answering the phones and speaking to other listeners. “I love hearing their stories about how they started listening, the different musical memories they’ve made, hearing how grateful they are for CKUA.”
Born and raised in Edmonton, Mae’s been into music as long as she can remember. “In my early 20s I ran away and married a hippie boy from Oregon, where I discovered my love of jam band music, music festivals and the Grateful Dead,” she laughs. The marriage didn’t work out but her increased passion for music never faded. “I’m a longtime music festival lover. I go to a lot of shows by myself, I’m into the music, I like to dance.”
Mae started listening to CKUA in the mid-90s. “I love waking up and listening to Grant and Baba in the mornings. I’ve discovered so many amazing musicians from listening to CKUA.”
It feels good to support authentic radio, she says. “We need to keep the community alive, right? We don’t want to have more dead air, can’t have that happen again.”
Music is crucial to a happy, healthy life, she says.
“I love music, it keeps me young, it’s therapeutic, it keeps my body feeling good.”
“CKUA makes that happen.”