Hey! What do our Volunteers have to say!!

What WOJB means to me....by Ronda Tworek (this feel’s like a report I have to write for school) :)

WOJB. What a GREAT station! WOJB is very symbolic for me (personally) and here’s why. I had moved to the Hayward Area in Spring of ‘93. By August I had started working a second job at a local coffee-house and met fellow employee, Nicky Keller - then Larson. :)

Nicky was first one to the shop in the morning and always had WOJB on. As time went on it became more than ‘background noise’, it became something I literally “Tuned” into. Listening for a certain show or host to come on. Always amazed at the “great little radio station we had right here in the ‘Northwoods’”. Nicky eventually left the coffee-house to work for WOJB.

While I was working at ‘Backroads’ I met a man (Dave Tworek) and we started dating. During the Spring ‘Pledge Drive’ of ‘94 Dave called me at work to make sure I had WOJB on, which of course, I did! Within 5 minutes I heard Mike Dukin on-air mention “Dave and Ronda” as “New Members”. How sweet, I thought. Dave got us a membership, on what was our “6 Months of being a couple”....an anniversary of sorts. Little did I know he had planned our entire evening out and by the end of the night he proposed to me! (Which of course I said YES!) So you see, we became Members of WOJB before we became Man & Wife. WOJB is a foundation in our relationship.

Since then, every year we make it a point to re-new our membership every year! WOJB is as much a part of our lives as the air we breath. With waking up to it every morning, listening through NPR’s Morning Edition into the Local Morning Edition and a NEW favorite Democracy Now! Folkways, World Beat, Eclectamania, At Risk, Big Band, Spice of Life, This American Life, Jazz reflections....all wonderful programs and most of them hosted by VOLUNTEERS!!

Of course, the Patchwork Program has a special place in my heart for I have been a volunteer hostess for the Patchwork show for about 8 or so years now. Again, thanks to Nicky! Whom one day, while she was still working at Backroads, started talking to me about coming in and volunteering “on-air”, with FREE training! and I could play what ever I wanted!! I was really interested, yet terribly nervous!! After the first show I hosted I was too scared to come back. Literally having “Nightmares” about being on-air and totally screwing up! I stayed away for a year or two before I got up the nerve again to try. The more and more I was in the studio the more comfortable I became. At first, I remember planning every single song I would play. But now! (HA!) I stuff a bunch of cd’s in my wooden soda-crate (that I bring with me every time to the station) and start off with one song and randomly pick from there. Ah, the freedom of WOJB!

Wouldn’t you agree?! Where else have you heard such diverse selections in music and news? Such amazing coverage not only on local issues but global ones as well. From the ‘transmission line to the war in Iraq’ it all gets covered from right here at WOJB!

So do it. Become a member today. It’s easy, it’s painless and oh so worth it!! Make it a tradition in your family as it has become one in mine. 1-800-776-3689 and Thank you
Rhonda Tworek- Patchwork Host.

My story starts many years ago, in the 80's, when fishing the Chippewa Flowage from a resort at Chief Lake on the big Chip. Our group of four guys from Madison would travel up every spring and fall. Walleye was our main goal and travel in to the city of Hayward was very seldom taken, as we would bring all of our supplies with us. The cabins did not have TV's or radios so we would bring our own radios for some entertainment. We were usually looking for weather reports and music. Very little world news was needed, as it was nice to get away from the "rat race!" We found the strongest signal to be good old WOJB FM 88.9 on the dial. Not only did we get the periodic weather reports but we were provided with good music. Then with the advent of walkman radios, we could put on the earphones and listen in the privacy of our bedrooms before falling asleep. Upon awakening, we could get the early morning weather and NPR news from around the world.

Now that I have retired here in the area, I can volunteer my services to WOJB by announcing the Saturday Morning Big Band Show, which by the way was my favorite time slot. Dick Hagen was the volunteer announcer back then and I always liked his theme song........Burgundy Street Blues. Not only is it fun to do the show, now, but a good way to listen to 2 1/2 hours of my favorite music.

Please support WOJB with your pledge as soon as possible.
Al Hixson, Big Band Host

My Wife and I have listened to WOJB for over 20 yrs. One day approximately 5 years ago, we were listening to the auction fundraiser and heard about something’s that we wanted to bid on. So, we decided to drive over and take a look. While we were there, the staff made us feel so comfortable I asked Camille about volunteering to host a show. She asked me what kind of music I liked, I said blues of course, but I also knew that the station had a premier blues man, so I said my second choice was jazz. Camille said, well isn’t that a coincidence, we just happen to have a slot open on Sunday night on a show called Jazz Reflections. My radio career began at that time and I have enjoyed the relationship ever since. The staff continues to be a joy to work with.
Poppa Bill, Jazz Showcase host

I found out about WOJB in 1992 when I moved to the area. Some friends of mine were having a party and had WOJB on. I believe it was Mike Dukin's show, and the music was totally great!!As I listened more often, I found that the rest of the programming was great too!

My memories of WOJB actually span many of the weekends since 1992. You see my father was very ill for most of that time, and I spent a lot of time driving back to my parent’s home, which is in Southeast Wisconsin. I would finish my week of work and drive back (4.5 hrs one-way) to help take care of him. His condition slowly got worse, and the last 9 months we worked with a home hospice team. We were fortunate to be able to keep him at home until he died there 3 years ago. During that time, those two hours with WOJB were like an oasis. I could kick back and smile with some great music and the stress would melt away at least for a short time. Being able to recharge my batteries with WOJB was a big part of what kept me going, and I will always be grateful to the WOJB team for their good work. I realize what a blessing WOJB was for me over those years, and hope to do the same for our listeners as I host the Spice of Life.
Mark Gessert, Spice of Life host