Monday, March 25, 2019

The Oppenheimer Report 3/25/19


Jeff Carter, Managing Director of CKAR (Hunters Bay Radio A/K/A The Bay 88.7FM), turned 60 last Friday. I and many of my fellow volunteers at this little community radio station called or sent him a message to wish him a happy birthday. I’m not sure everyone knew it was his 60th. Shauna and I had a phone conversation with him yesterday, and all three of us shared our 60th birthday experiences.

My 60th birthday fell on a Thursday, and I was in no mood to celebrate. I spent mine broadcasting my Lyrical Workers show at the station. Unbeknownst to me, some local friends and musicians, in coordination with my wife, were waiting outside the station to surprise me after my show. I think the surprise was on them, because I was late finishing, and they were all shivering out in the cold fall evening to ambush me when I left the station. Still, they managed to drag me out of my curmudgeonly mood, and it was a lovely way to finish off the day. Shauna’s 60th was by far the worst; she spent it in Toronto Western Hospital after a bizarre neurological attack partially damaged her left eye. She was there for about 2 weeks, and on her 60th birthday she actually had a spinal tap. I have amusing photographs of her, high on pain medication and adorned with silly birthday paraphernalia. Make due with what you have. Thanks to our friend, and ET’s caregiver, Andrea Yolanda Reyna, who provided that moment of levity during a somber time. It was, of course, a work day for Jeff, and he spent the day dealing with the omnipresent hassles of running a small, under-funded community radio station. Silver Lake Joe Thompson, a volunteer and host of the live show that precedes my show on Thursday nights, treated him to some wings and beer at a local brew pub. When Jeff got back to the station to lock up, he discovered that the toilet was backed up. Some stranger had come in during the day asking to use the lavatory, and had deposited an un-flushable turd. On his 60th birthday, Jeff’s last duty of the day, as Managing Director of Hunters Bay Radio, was to plunge the toilet.

Managing a not-for-profit community radio station is not a glorious job. Absent the big budgets of our competing commercial radio stations, Jeff is chief cook and bottle washer at The Bay. He’s part computer tech, volunteer coordinator, event promoter, public relations director, program director, news desk, host, grant writer, bookkeeper, mediator and, last but not least, philanthropist. Since Hunters Bay Radio began to broadcast its weekly radio BINGO game, the station has contributed tens of thousands of dollars in BINGO profits to local charities, and funded numerous local concerts, many which are free to the public. The reason I volunteer for this station is because Jeff recruited me, as he has done with most of his volunteers. I became a volunteer because of the great music they were playing, and because they have given me and other local musicians and songwriters a voice in the community. He was the one who suggested I do a show about songwriting. Four years later, I’ve met some remarkable artists because of my show, and I've learned volumes about their music. Featuring two live radio shows per week, as well as the odd impromptu live interview, Hunters Bay Radio keeps the artistic flame alive, and that includes all forms of art. I think in many ways it represents and fosters the inclusiveness, creativity, comradery, and goodwill that any community strives to achieve. Admittedly, building this station up has been a team effort, and the contributions of all paid staff and volunteers are invaluable, but this station has been, in large part, Jeff’s vision.

Running a community radio station in a small town can be a thankless task. Jeff is the lightning rod for any controversial decision the station makes, and he takes a lot of heat daily. I for one appreciate the sacrifices he makes for his community, because what he does is a 24-7 job.  Welcome to your 61st year Jeff, thanks for keeping the lights on at Hunters Bay Radio, and yes, thanks for plunging the toilet!     

 Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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