Queen’s University’s CFRC kicked off its annual funding raising drive on Sunday.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a live performance helped raise the curtain on the two-month long event.
The Savage Family Band had no problem showing up at the studio when the call came.
“CFRC has always been supportive of me and the rest of the local music scene so — you have to give back,” the group’s frontman Tom Savage said.
Tom Savage, who played an extra special one-hour session with his daughter Bella, said the station fills a real need.
“Something outside the main stream and a broader view of the artistic and the music scene in Canada really. And CFRC is a part of network of community stations all across the country that provide a place for up-coming musicians or independent artists to be played and to get their music out to the community.”
The Queen’s radio station, which is located in lower Carruthers Hall, has been around since 1922, making it the longest running campus-based broadcaster in the world.
“They can find all kinds of different programming on our airwaves seven days a week that can’t be found on any other station in Kingston,” station manager Dinah Jansen said.
But that costs money, so the non-profit has set a goal.
One that Jansen hopes can be achieved.
“We are raising $15,000, so that way we can upgrade our recording equipment in our studios,” Jansen said. “Some of it is aged. And we want to make sure that our volunteers have the best tools to work with — which also means the best quality sound for listeners to enjoy. Further, the money that we raise will also contribute to funding the coordination of our news and multi-cultural programming.”
The fundraising drive ends on Dec. 31.