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!

The goal of most radio hosts is to come up with a cool DJ handle, but with a name like Jenn Freeze, it's really not necessary! Jenn joined CFCR as a volunteer host in late-2008, filling-in on a variety of programs before landing her own show on Sunday nights called Thrice Removed in early 2009. Jenn had to step away from hosting in 2013, but Thrice Removed continued with her friend Darby Sutherland (and new co-host Brian Gibbons!) at the helm every Sunday from 8:30-9:30pm. Jenn returned to hosting in 2016, and now hosts every other Wednesday on the 6-8am Green Eggs & Ham.

Jenn has always been a great volunteer off-the-air as well, doing a stint on our Programming Committee, and was a member of our Board of Directors from 2010-2012. Her smiling face can often be seen at the CFCR table at events, and she is always eager to pitch in where she can!

How did you first come to learn about CFCR?

About 11 years ago, my route to work took me past CFCR World Headquarters every day, so I knew the checkerboard logo and the station’s frequency. I still had my clock radio set to another station, though, which was letting me down with their playlists on a daily basis. One morning, I’d had enough disappointment, so I changed the dial to 90.5 where the Green Eggs & Ham host played Joel Plaskett and Peter Elkas. I was so excited.

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

I volunteer because I love sharing music with others. It’s a privilege to be able to create the soundtrack for a bit of somebody else’s life.

As a Community Radio station, CFCR gives a voice to those who would not necessarily find it on Commercial Radio. The hosts are so passionate, and they expose people to a huge range of music they wouldn’t find through an algorithm. CFCR’s coverage of the arts, social issues, and community events keeps Saskatoon a vibrant, connected community. I also appreciate the advertising which helps people discover cool local businesses.

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

I don’t have any crazy stories, but I still think it’s pretty wild every time somebody calls to ask what song is playing or to tell me they’re enjoying the show. It makes my whole day.

What’s your favourite CFCR show(s)?

There are a lot of shows I love, but my favourite is Hot Buttered Soul (Weekdays, 12-1pm).

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

Locals: The Garrys and Ride Til Dawn are rock 'n' roll dream machines.

Non-local: Sloan. They’ve led me to a ton of bands and inspired my social media handle and the name of my first show (I thought they were cool ideas at the time).

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

I like to eat brunch, build Lego, win trivia games, go to comedy shows, see movies, and crochet.

What’s your favourite/least favourite pizza topping?

My favourite pizza/anything topping is fresh basil (put it in a smoothie, it’ll change your life) and my least favourite is any kind of pepper.

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

I recently finished reading Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, which was extremely my jam because it was basically a 19th Century British Literature class, plus magic.

I also just finished watching Great News, a comedy series which could have helped to fill the 30 Rock-sized hole in my heart, but NBC cancelled it after two seasons. If anybody wants to join my social media campaign to get it back, that would be a huge help.

Here's a short playlist of songs chosen by Jenn, to give you a little taste of what you might hear every other Wednesday between 6 & 8am on Green Eggs & Ham:

Shad - "It Ain’t Over"

The Super Friendz - "Machine Green"

Dude York - "Tonight"

Kishi Bashi - "Honeybody"

New Pornographers - "Moves"

CFCR would like to give thanks to Black Cat Tavern 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, The Swing Shift, etc), 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 Rebecca Zakreski at volunteers@cfcr.ca, or call 306-664-6678, and the next time the station needs an extra set of hands, you’ll hear from her.