Kingston/Fraser Valley – — CIVL FM Systems Administrator Emma Hones won big this weekend, receiving the National Campus and Community Radio Association’s Volunteer of the Year Award, for volunteerism the American Graphic Design student conducted in only her first semester at UFV. NCRC40, hosted by Queens University’s CFRC – who celebrates 100 years of Kingston campus radio in 2022 – also saw CIVL take away two more of the 30 awards given away from over 200 submissions by programmers and volunteers across Canada’s 109 member stations.
Andy’s Attic host Andy Gronberg, who came to CIVL over a decade ago after volunteering at SFU’s CJSF-Burnaby and UBC’s CiTR-Vancouver, won the Country Music Programming category, while UFV staff, David Shayler (who holds a radio broadcast diploma) and the late Greg Aitken won the Pop Music Programming award for their program The Wheelbarrow Show, which Greg began on CIVL.ca before the station had even implemented on FM radio.
These are the first two NCRA awards CIVL has won for regular music programming. CIVL was previously awarded for a variety of (7) community engagement initiatives, spoken word and live events broadcasts, as well as receiving numerous honourable mentions (7) for music and other programming by volunteers. While multiple CIVL volunteers have been recognized with an honourable mention in the Volunteer of the Year category, Emma, who moved to Baker House in Abbotsford from Georgia in August 2021, is the first to be a UFV student.
CIVL’s winning content submissions were compiled and edited by UFV Computer Information Science student and CIVL Program Manager, co-operative education placement Joti Sidhu. While only beginning at CIVL in January of 2022, Sidhu was deft in her planning and attention to detail in preparing submissions to the annual awards ceremony by mid-March, reflecting the best of CIVL programming from each individual host on the station.
The awards show, which featured a keynote interview with CBC journalist, former UVic Chancellor, TRC Honourary Witness, and Officer of the Order of Canada Shelagh Rogers, in addition to live music performances, is available for viewing on YouTube.
In her acceptance speech, Hones said “I’m honoured and humbled to have been chosen for this award, and look forward to continuing my work in helping make CIVL the best voice it can be for our campus and Valley communities.” Her letter of nomination can be viewed here, including details about the varied and intensive work she’s done, and photo for press can also be accessed here. Interviews with awards winners can be coordinated by inquiring with CIVL.
