Lana Vandesteeg is a multi-talented Lethbridge listener who has racked up a whopping 15 years as a monthly donor. And she was a devoted fundraiser donor even before that! We caught up with her to hear more about cro-knitting, her three fur kids and why CKUA has even changed her views on bluegrass and jazz.
“I first heard about CKUA in 1997 from a friend who was very upset about the station going off the air,” Lana says. It was still quite some time before she turned it on. “Once I did, I realized the programming was totally different from anything I’d heard on any of the mainstream stations.”
She was instantly hooked. “The variety of music is amazing, combined with the commentary about the music and the artists,” she says. “And The Road Home is the icing on the cake!”
CKUA is now a day-to-day musical companion.
“All my driving is accompanied by CKUA,” Lana says. “CKUA also keeps me company in my home. It is a lovely backdrop to day-to-day life.”
Music has also been there to uplift her soul.
“Shortly after my husband passed away in September 2019, I happened to hear Nat King Cole’s “Autumn Leaves” on one of the CKUA shows. It remains my most cherished song.”
Lana retired a couple of years ago from a 40-year career at Lethbridge College. Now her life is filled with swimming, distance walking, gardening, reading and listening to music. She is also “mum” to three Siamese Tabby cross fur-kids, as she says. Needlework is also a big part of her life. She recently cro-knitted almost two dozen woolen scarves to donate to a local homeless shelter.
She has also, as mentioned, been a donor for a long time. “I listened to CKUA for many years before I finally realized how important it was for me to provide financial support, thereby making sure I didn’t lose what I’d come to love.”
“A few years ago, simply for budgeting purposes, I realized I wanted the convenience of converting the total of those twice-yearly one-time donations into monthly donations. Since then I’ve had the privilege of being able to increase the monthly amount to the level it is now.”
We asked Lana if she has a favourite show. “This question is almost impossible to answer,” she says. “However, core memories from my childhood result in Classic Examples, Sunday Breakfast, and The Road Home barely inching above all the others.”
CKUA has also expanded her musical horizons. “Of all the programs, Bluegrass Hour and Voices in Jazz provide me with an opportunity to change my opinion on those two genres—and it’s working! I give a lot of credit to the hosts for this; they are so knowledgeable and passionate about the music they play.”
Thank you for everything you do, Lana!
Would you like to become a monthly donor like Lana? Learn more here.
Lana’s jam to share with fellow CKUA listeners this JAMuary: Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56:
