Last winter, I signed up to volunteer with the local community radio station, CFBX (The X), located in House 8 on the TRU campus. I was blown away by the generosity of the support staff (namely Steve Marlow and Christopher Wadell), and within short order, had been trained up, and was on the air!
Historic House 8 on the TRU campus – photo from thex.ca
My show was called Confluence, and the tagline was: “the place where culture, community, and ideas meet”. I was given complete free reign, and as much support as I needed, and off I went with my ideas for an eclectic music show, which also featured interviews with people who were making a difference in various sectors of local business.
My first interviewee was a clinical counsellor named Merly Salzberg, who also volunteers with the equine assisted riding facility on the outskirts of town. It was my first ever interview, and because we met in a public place, there was too much background noise to use this one. Next, I interviewed Daphane Nelson, a co-operative business coach who is 1/3 of the company CoActive. I was so impressed by her mental agility and huge heart for social service, in which she had persevered even throughout her history of working in the corporate banking system. This interview aired on my show, and she ended up using it on her website as well. Finally, I interviewed a Juno award winning Indigenous Canadian First Nations folk music duo, a couple called Burnstick. This was a huge thrill for me, as I had heard them play for the first time the previous year at the Vancouver Island Music Festival and had loved their sound. I was super nervous preparing for the interview, but they were so sweet and friendly when we spoke, I ended up enjoying the whole process. When I aired this one on the show, it featured four tracks that were just about to be released in conjunction with their tour of BC in the summer of 2024.
My idea from the start was to gather material for a podcast with the interviews I generated through my association with The X, so here is my first iteration. I’ve crafted a unique sound signature to start the show, and interviewed the Program Coordinator of the X, Steve Marlow, as well as shared some of my interview with Burnstick, and their music. Please enjoy!
Anyone interested in getting involved with CFBX can call the station at (250) 377-3988, email radio@thex.ca or drop by the station at House 8, behind the Campus Activity Centre on the TRU campus. They also have volunteer application forms available on their website: thex.ca.
Catch you on the airwaves!
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