Karin Fjellman writesCHIRP Radio Events Director Karin Fjellman on CHIRP’s Place in the Community

I was bitten by the radio bug in college. When I learned that CHIRP was forming in the summer of 2007, I knew something important and groundbreaking was happening. As a firm believer in the ideals of community radio, I had to get involved.

This organization has brought together so many incredible people from all walks of life, and it's been a joy to see them uniting for a common interest. I've had the unique opportunity to see CHIRP develop from holding meetings in public cafes, to building its own studio, to finally being on the verge of holding a broadcast license. And this is only the beginning.

In addition to being a founding member of CHIRP, I've also been an on-air DJ for years, and I currently serve as the organization's Events Director. The danger of any radio station is that it becomes easy to hole up in your beautiful broadcast studio and have a merely one-way relationship with your listeners. But that's not what CHIRP is about – and that's where CHIRP Events steps in.

The Events Department is charged with creating opportunities for CHIRP's volunteers, the station's audience, and the local arts community to gather face-to-face to share our love of music. Through booking local artists for our various events, I've had the pleasure of becoming a part of a music scene that is so stylistically diverse, yet unified in its support for one another. I've also loved getting to know our listeners at events like our music quizzes, record store crawls and of course our annual Record Fair & Other Delights.

As the station continues to grow, and as we get closer to obtaining a broadcast license, we're determined to host more innovative events, more often, and inclusive of more people in the community. But we can only make those dreams happen with your generous support.

You can help CHIRP Radio grow with a donation at any level during our Fall Fundraising campaign!