Remember that Sesame Street song, “These are the people in your neighbourhood?”  Well, here’s a feature about the people at your community radio station!  You like to party, and we like to party, so why don’t we party together?  Join us for...

Get to Know a CFCR Volunteer!

This month, we're getting to know someone who is not only an on-air host at CFCR, but who is one of the amazing members of our Board of Directors! Since 2014, Catherine Lemire has been one of the rotating cast of hosts on CFCR's francophone program, Couleurs Cafe (Saturdays, 7-8:30pm), but her lineage of hosting goes all the way back to 1993, when she co-hosted our then-francophone program Des choses et d'autres on Sunday mornings.

More recently, Catherine took another step by successfully running for our Board of Directors, bringing a wealth of experience and ideas to our organization. Catherine is also quick to volunteer to "work the CFCR table" at various events, and you can often find her in attendance at the station fundraisers and events that she's not actively participating in.

Catherine has been a great addition as a host, as well as a behind-the-scenes organizer, so we think everyone should get to know her a bit better!

How did you first come to learn about CFCR?

I found out about CFCR in either 1991 or 1992 when my mother tuned in to hear her nephew noodle around on his electric guitar as a guest on a night show. I got my first taste of hosting at CFCR in 1993 when my friend and I co-hosted the francophone show with her father (Des choses et d’autres, Sunday mornings from 10-11). Since then, I have been a regular listener and finally decided to contribute to the station in a more concrete way by becoming an official host and volunteer in 2014.

Why do you volunteer? Why is CFCR important to the community?

I volunteer to expose listeners to cool French music and because it’s fun to be involved in the community. CFCR is an important cultural organization that has been at the heart of many events for decades- a true establishment that is still relevant today.

What’s the craziest thing that’s happened to you on the air?

Nothing crazy, but there was a time where I kept getting calls from an Anglophone man with a rural accent requesting obscure French songs from the 60’s and I could have sworn it was my sister pranking me, so I called her on it only to find out it wasn’t the case. I also received a call from someone looking to request a song on CJWW, hmpf.

What’s your favourite CFCR show(s)?

I love Greg Besharah’s show There Goes That Song Again (Sundays, 7-8:30pm). I also enjoy Radio Luna (Saturdays, 5-7pm) and Expansions (Fridays, 9-10:30pm). Green Eggs & Ham (weekdays, 6-8am and 8-10am) is pretty alright; I miss The Pop Rocket.

Who is your favourite local band? Non-local band?

My favourite local bands are/were Feral Children and Vicious Crystals. Favourite non-local band: Os Mutantes.

Aside from radio, what else do you like to do?

I like to take it easy while remaining useful, somehow.

What’s your favourite/least favourite pizza topping?

I SAVOUR ALL KINDS OF PIZZA, but my favourite toppings are olives, banana peppers, and cooked tomatoes. Is poutine pizza a topping?

What’s the best book you’ve read or movie/show you’ve seen recently?

L’École nationale du cirque’s year end show Sapience in Montreal was remarkable from the concept, acrobatics, to the musical selections.

Here are some tunes you might catch on Catherine's episodes of Couleurs Cafe. Even if you don't speak French, the music is just too enjoyable to miss!

Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot - "Comic Strip"

France Gall - "Laisse tomber les filles"

Indochine - "L'aventurier"

Katerine - "Mon cœur balance"

Les Fantomes - "Les yeux noirs"

CFCR would like to give thanks to Black Cat Pizza (formerly Nino's) for sponsoring "Get To Know A CFCR Volunteer!"

Who do YOU think we should feature next time on "Get To Know A CFCR Volunteer?" Let us know who your favourite CFCR host or volunteer is and you could win some great prizes! Just email us at cfcr@cfcr.ca and we'll take it from there.

Be a part of the community at CFCR by volunteering! You can apply to be a host and pitch your show idea --- OR you can be a part of the CFCR Army of Volunteers!

You could be the host of one of our existing daily/weekly programs (like Green Eggs & Ham, The Buzz or The Swing Shift), or you can pitch your own idea for a show to CFCR Program Director Jay Allen. You can contact Jay at the station by calling (306) 664-6678 or by emailing pd@cfcr.ca. Your friends and neighbours will envy you, and you may even be featured here, for all the world to see--or--hear--or whatever!

And, if you just want to help out in the community or around the station without hosting a show, shoot a message to CFCR’s Volunteer Coordinator Kira Yanko at volunteers@cfcr.ca, or call at 306-664-6678, and the next time the station needs an extra set of hands, you’ll hear from her.