Sarah McFadden

Hi, KUNC is my connection to the real world. I do not own a TV and work from 6am 'till 5pm so a home paper is not an option. I live in Georgetown CO where I receive 1 radio station, not KUNC, so I stream you in and it makes me feel that I have a connection to the world, NPR news and entertainment, and I am not off the edge of it. Thank you for my favorite hour of the week, "wait wait don't tell me" which I listen to on Monday nights. Carry on!!

Frank Lilly

Why I listen to KUNCIn 200 or fewer words.

I can pretty much say it in one word: variety.

To expound on that one word, I merely need to list the shows that I listen to most faithfully: Morning Edition, All Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion, Jazz After Hours.

There are many other shows that I listen to, although not as faithfully: E-town, Beal Street Caravan, American Routes, The World Café, and the locally produced Saturday Night Blues. Combine those shows with Diverse Music during the day, and if that’s not variety, I don’t know what is.

There are a few shows that I don’t particularly care for, but even those contribute to a breadth of variety that is probably not available on any other radio station anywhere.

Thanks for being there, KUNC, and thanks to Summit Public Radio for making KUNC available in the mountains.

Jim

KUNC has "turned up" my local, national, and beyond worlds. In spades! Why? KUNC serves as my only real source of reliable news. And of pleasure. I moved last June from the "outback of Colorado" — the San Luis Valley with its ~46,000 residents spread over six counties and some 800 sq mi. Having lived there since '98 and not having TV, I relied on KRZA, a public radio station of more modest means than KUNC and based in Alamosa. KRZA began in the '80s, its firsts director, David Barsamian who now runs Alternative Radio based in Boulder. Down there my favorite programs included, besides AR, Democracy Now, WINGS.

With KUNC, it's BBC's real world view that appeals. And compels me to listen at 3a weekday mornings and at 5a, weekends! BBC's correspondents/reporters get right in the

trenches, unlike NPR's who report from the relative security of "the Green Zone" in Baghdad or embedded with U.S. troops. Yet some of NPR's positive programming: Fresh Air, This I Believe, Daniel Schorr's commentaries — at 91. And my favorite, Thistle & Shamrock with its Celtic music. Even the mesmerizing Music from the Hearts of Space Sunday nights.

Kathleen Eckert Back when my grandma was a girl, families gathered around stylish boxes built to pick up the entertainment sailing through the air on radio waves. As my grandma sat in the living room crossing her bobby socks, Roosevelt explain the details of the Western front while dramas of cowboys and Indians and noir detective stories fed her imagination. Despite the technology revolution, radio has not been dropped from our menu of media options. Thanks to KUNC I have thoughtful news coverage that educates and provokes. Hours of enjoyment to while away a Sunday did not end with my grandmother’s generation. For years I enjoyed a weekend drive listening to "Car Talk," "Prairie Home Companion," or "Speaking of Faith." Now, in proper 21st century fashion, I listen on the internet from the comfort of my own living room and save a few pounds of carbon emissions as well. On these cozy days, with Garrison Keillor broadcasting via my computer, I manage to feel both innovative and old fashioned at the same time. KUNC melds the integrity of the past with the urgency of the present to create a truly modern experience. Art Linda Wilson

Dear KUNC,

KUNC is my lifeline to the outside world! We live in a radio wasteland. The only stations we can get on our regular radio are either the local "crying-in-your-beer" country station; the local FM music--with 1 minute of news every hour--station; and at night KBCO. I love the programming on KUNC: BBC World News gives us a view of what's happening outside the US--we wake up to Morning Edition and Weekend Edition. We fall asleep listening to 9:00 O'Clock Blues and Jazz After Hours.

We no longer get KUNC on our regular radio. We purchased an internet radio and and router for our mutual Christmas present just so we could get KUNC. And, KUNC is the only station to which the internet radio is set!

We are KUNC members. Thank you, KUNC.

Eric Hubler

I'm a refugee from another NPR affiliate. Listening to NPR on an AM frequency is like watching The Wizard of Oz on a black-and-white TV (which I've done too.) Meaning can be transmitted, but we need to be able to receive it. Receiving KUNC makes me receptive.

Nannette Mroz

Because KUNC truly is the best that I ever had the pleasure to listen. I heard KUNC when I stumbled across it in 1985 visiting Denver. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I was so impressed with the eclectic music KUNC offered, I felt bereft when it was time to go home. Dare I confess, I recorded an hour by cassette tape off the radio so I could bring home some magic?

Years later I lost touch, but never the memory that KUNC typifies everything a listener would want in a station. Diversity, new horizons—I keep a list of songs that I heard first on your station. With KUNC broadcasting over the internet, I felt like I was reacquainted with an old friend. Now I can see information regarding who composed, what label, etc. That's Great! I have donated to this Public Radio Station. If I had all the money in the world, I would give some to KUNC so years from now it would abide- allowing new listeners a place to hear classical masterworks, world music and good old fashioned folk tunes. Thanks for years of enjoyment and many more years to come. Jennifer Agnew

My word - there are all sorts of reasons why I listen to KUNC every day!KUNC is my constant companion when I am working at my desk at the office. First of all I love the selections you play and I have no idea what will come up next be it classical, bluegrass or jazz. The music you play also provides an underlying energy to keep me chugging along, while maintaining good spirits. I also love it when a co-worker will stick their head in and ask "what are you playing, I love it!"

Hilary Lewis

KUNC is my NPR station of choice because the radio personalities are not always trying to prove how hip they are with the "X" generation. The announcers understand the importance of local happenings like, how important it is to get a head start into the mountains when there could be 6" of fresh powder on a Saturday morning, and how great it is to have entertaining radio to listen to during that journey. They also realize that I really do need to hear Morning Edition at least twice for the weight of some of that information to sink in at such an early hour, and how critical it is that I know the upcoming concert schedule for several weeks out in an attempt to get tickets at the box office, thereby avoiding the extra fees required to reserve things online.

Having KUNC to listen to is probably the biggest reason why I don't have a satellite radio. This means that I don't get nervous about my little VW getting broken into to steal said satellite radio. In short, KUNC improves my quality of life, the awareness that my

life is improved, and probably also the longevity to enjoy public radio for many, many years to come.

Chris Lange

I am a listener, but my friend had to tell me that I could win something if I sent you an email. I love to listen to the music you play on KUNC. I find it relaxing and a great change from other stations. Guess that's why I didn't notice that you were doing a contest. Thanks.

Brooke Rohde

Why do I love KUNC? Because I just turned 35 and decided that I need to be more responsible and better versed on what's going on in the world. But I want to be young, too. So I listen to KUNC's Morning Edition on the way to work so I can chat about NPR's stories at the watercooler; I listen to Diverse Music so I can concentrate on my work yet still impress my colleagues who walk into my office; I listen to All Things Considered on the way to my childrens' schools so just in case I run into a chatty parent I can have something witty to say; and I make my 6 year old listen to Market Place - because she, too, will eventually need to be able to chat about wordly events. And I love it when she sits in the backseat and asks 'what is an expat and why do they care about the US dollar?'

Thanks, KUNC for a diverse set of programming that is always enjoyable and brings a local flair to the news. Susanne

Until this spring it was the only option for NPR on the FM dial, but luckily that will change when KCFR moves to FM this spring :-)

Then I won't have to change stations anymore when your weird music comes on at 9 am.

You would get our support if you would drop all the music mish mash and stick public radio news programs like KCFR.

Fort Collins could use the diverse news programs like BBC's The World and Talk of the Nation.

I will admit to loving Tom Throckmorton's garden report and Dr. Ringel's input - but those come as part of the NPR programming when I listen already.

Kevin Cray

Seeking a small-town community in a big city, my wife and I found a tiny house in Park Hill (Denver). A peace circle came next made up of neighbors and friends. Through all our searching for that elusive energy of small-town community, we have had the sounds

and voices of KUNC playing in the background and foreground. We listen to KUNC for the sense of small-town community. In a world where electronic media splits us into separate units watching talking heads and random acts of violence or obscenity or endless sports or video games (We quit having television in our space twenty years ago.), we choose to listen to lovely music, insightful news, humble, folk-next-door DJs, and community building voices like Garrison Keillor. Driving my delivery truck in Denver traffic at 9:30 every weekday, I can hear The Writers Almanac and think of the myriad possibilities each person brings to this created world. Good food for thought. A poem a day allows for great mental play and a stronger heart. As dawn’s light covers our Colorado sky, we yawn and turn on KUNC’s NPR.

Jessica Sherman

Thank you KUNC! You are the sanity in my days, my reference point for the chaos of life, my rock in an ever-changing and complex world. I walk in the door from work, or stumble down the stairs to make coffee in the morning, and turn you on—and breathe deeply, feeling that I have truly arrived at home. Everyone decides upon a filter for their world, and I am thankful that you are mine. You provide a clarity of mind, a diversity of perspectives, and a joyous window into new sounds and delights. From Fresh Air to World Café to the BBC World Service, I know that whenever I switch you on—and be there no doubt, you are the ONLY one I switch on!—I will be intrigued, entertained, and brought to a place where knowledge is wisdom, and music is the soul. So thank you, KUNC, and keep up the good work! Anne Cagen I listen to KUNC daily for the following top 10 reasons: 10. I have recently become a fan of “Speaking of Faith” which is very inspirational.9. Once on a family vacation, we went out of our way to a restaurant in Albuquerque which had been featured on “The Splendid Table.”8. “Car Talk” 7. “American Routes” 6. “World Cafe”5. Terry Gross on “Fresh Air” is the most amazing interviewer. 4. “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edition are primary ways for me to get the news.3. I love the diversity of music throughout the day and enjoy the fact that I never have to change the station. 2. My favorite public radio show of all time is “Prairie Home Companion”. I grew up in Minnesota in a small town like Lake Wobegone and my relatives are the Norwegian Bachelor Farmers!

1. And the number 1 reason that KUNC is my Public Radio Station of Choice - It's just another way that my husband and I can share opinions, laughs and joy. (And there is always that possibility of winning something!)

Joy Grabiner I grew up in the Zambia as a missionary kid. Our only connection to the outside world was through the radio, BBC to be precise. It seemed it was the only channel that we could understand. Moving back to the United States, I discovered that the only radio news station that made me feel like I was connected to the rest of the world was NPR. KUNC brings me back home with its diverse music, (sounds that I'd never hear on any other station) and by sponsoring NPR. Thanks for bringing me the sounds that remind me of my childhood and by keeping me connected to the rest of the world.

Nicholas Demarest I have always struggled to find an appropriate alarm to ease the transition between my sleeping and waking life. Buzzers are too harsh, and jolt the senses. Music is generally too soothing, and lets my mind return to the deep, drifting dream from whence I came. There are other means to rouse one from a sleeping state, some of which have questionable implications (mostly on moral and legal grounds), and we have not the time or interest to go into them here...

But there does exist, in short, a happy medium. KUNC is filled with rich information and original music from throughout the world. It is at times pleasing, sometimes tragic, and often times compelling. Whether it's the current breaking story, the echoes of a new world music, entertaining anecdotes, or the acumen of a well-thought essay, I often find my day best begins with the astute sound and sense of KUNC.

Laura Radcliff Why do I listen to KUNC?

I have been listening to KUNC now for about 20 years, and KUNC is part of my daily life. I have always needed a news source that came from a less commercial perspective.

More importantly now, I have a 7 year old son who listens to NPR with me. I realized when he was 4 that he enjoyed many of the programs on KUNC. For his 5th birthday we saw Poncho Sanchez in Denver, because weheard about the show on KUNC. At 7 he expressed anger at politicianswho chose not to fund education because he heard about it on KUNC. He has laughed hysterically at stories about people's lives, and learned cultural perspectives he would not get at home on KUNC. KUNC is part of our life that gives us joy, feeling, movement, makes us think and laugh every day. It informs us of the world around us and we wouldn't be the laughing, singing, dancing, big thinking people we are without it!

Laurel Alterman KUNC, MY FIRST CHOICE The lower section of my car radio dial is all public radio stations, and my first choice every time in KUNC.The only station to play "The Writer's Almanac", I tune in every morning at 9:37 (approximately) to hear Garrison Keeler, and to learn something special for the day. It amazes me how relevant these little tidbits are each day and how I get to interject that tasty morsel of historical fact into the otherwise mundaneconversation. The music selections are always a wonderful surprise. I love that a classical piece will be followed by a contemporary ballad, a jazz selection, an instrumental arrangement - nothing can be taken for granted. Keep up the great work - and choose me for the four tickets to Telluride!! Kathy B Sheehan Here's my entry. Thanks much, Kathy

When my family relocated to the Colorado Front Range in the summer of 2006, one of the first things I did was to search for a radio station on the FM dial. The task was a bit daunting because of the dizzying number of radio stations available in the greater Denver/Ft. Collins area. Of course, I wanted a non-commercial public radio station. It didn’t take long until one station stood out—KUNC. I have been a loyal listener ever since. I depend on KUNC for national news on NPR, as well as items of local interest and the weather forecast. I also enjoy many entertaining programs including ‘Diverse Music’ on weekday mornings and ‘Thistle and Shamrock’ on Saturdays. I appreciate the quality programming that KUNC provides and additional services such as streaming radio. Thanks to you KUNC for definitely ‘turning up my world’! Sincerely,Kathy Sheehan

Heidi Kerr-SchlaeferWhy I listen to KUNC Each day I arrive at my office and turn on KUNC before turning on my computer. It has become a calming, reassuring part of my morning routine. From 8 to 9 a.m. the informative and thoughtful stories keep me interested and help to wake me up, both mentally and physically. Today I’m listening to a story about what individual Chinese citizens think of the issues in Tibet, a point-of-view I have not heard covered elsewhere in the media. Every week I eagerly anticipate hearing a piece of genuine Americana during Story Core. At 9 a.m. the music begins and though I am a person of habit, my musical tastes are not routine. I enjoy many different styles, including classical, world,

folk – basically the music KUNC puts together for me each morning. I often find myself looking up playlists at www.kunc.org in order to find the name of artist I particularly liked. Lastly, there is enormous benefit in having a local NPR affiliate. I am able to stay informed of local events, weather and stories, as well as the larger issues in the world. I listen to KUNC because it makes my day a little brighter. Keep up the great work! Ingrid Leidner I listen to KUNC for a variety of reasons: the combination of stories from National Public Radio and local news, the unbiased reporting, the good writing, the diverse topics covered, and the knowledge that I am well informed about the world around me. What I most appreciate about KUNC, however, is its amazing ability to lower my blood pressure as I commute to and from work in rush hour traffic. The soothing and interesting voices of the various radio personalities not only transport me safely and sanely, but fill me with stories to ponder and discuss throughout my day. My husband, while not a listener himself, gets the benefit of hearing my favorite stories each day, and whenever we are not home KUNC entertains our two Canine American family members; judging by their exuberance, KUNC keeps them in great spirits too! Lynda Zeringue I recently became a sustaining member of KUNC during your most recent campaign. I work in Cheyenne, WY and commute from Wellington, CO, with a long-standing KUNC member. That's all he listens to in whatever vehicle he's in, so I was sort of "forced" to listen. One day, during the campaign, after listening nonstop for 35 minutes each morning and 45 each evening on our commute, I decided I couldn't live without KUNC on a daily basis. So I called in, signed up, and received a pocket guide to the Constitution of the U.S. I love listening and have learned more in the last three and one-half months, about everything from dams in China, politics in the U.S. and abroad, and anecdotes with topics from A-Z than I ever would have had I not initially been "forced" to listen to your great station. I now have 91.5 pre-programmed in both my vehicles! Thank you and keep up the great programming.

Donna Dunkelberger

Hi, sending my entry again since it couldn’t be found. Thanks. From Philadelphia-WHYY to Steamboat Springs-KUNC I have lived. Luckily I have found A Prairie Home Companion who Echoes my love for Storycorps and the Jazz After Hours. What will the Morning Edition bring as the sun rises over the World Café. ! I shop the Market Place to understand this wild world. Every day With All Things Considered we listen to the Click and Clack of my Car Talk about its effect of Living on

Earth. Can I hear the Diverse Music of my life and enhance my palate with The Splendid Table. Oh yes I can! For This I Believe are the many reasons that I am so happy to have all of my favorite shows on KUNC and the chance to go to Telluride

Mark W Riffe

I listen to KUNC because I don't have time to read newspapers and newsmagazines for news and because the music is varied in style and source.It's a compromise.

I would like KUNC to explore other sources for news, however--for instance, extending the broadcast time for the BBC portion of the schedule to 7 a.m.I haven't been able to find the Christian Science Monitor radio broadcasts, so that may no longer be an option. I simply find that National Public Radio is mixed in the quality of its journalistic professionalism.

Millie Miller

KUNC is like the flannel sheets I curl up in every night, the dog that wakes me at the crack of dawn, the hubby who shares my morning coffee, the newspaper that helps me with the crossword puzzle, the balm of beautiful music I rest with, the companion I take road trips with, the familiar voices I recognize who make me laugh or cry or calm my soul, the amazing commentaries that help me reframe my life, the lifeline to the world that gives me knowledge and insight, but most of all, a friend that keeps me company.

Susan Jones

KUNC is my public radio station because I moved to Northern Colorado, and missed my station WCPN in Cleveland, OH. So I have adopted my new station of KUNC. Thankfully you are here! I have been a faithful listener of public radio for over 30 years. Where else can I hear such a variety of music? Where else can I hear serious news and commentary? Where else can I hear truly unbiased news? In these times of scary conservative talk radio, KUNC is a breath of fresh air. Maybe that's why listening to Fresh Air on your station never fails to renew my faith in the world and in broadcasting. I appreciate being informed by news stories as opposed to news sound bites. Waking up to Morning Edition and often signing off with the World Cafe is a routine I have come to cherish. And those guys at Car Talk keep me laughing as well as enlighten me about the automobile, something I know little about! So, All Things Considered, KUNC makes Living on Earth a real pleasure. Teresa Scott

All Things Considered. . . Prairie Home Companion . . . Car Talk, Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me . . . This American Life . . . BBC World Service . . . Hearts of Space . . . Jazz After Hours . . .Do you want me to keep going?

Need I say more?

Thanks for all your wonderful programming!Sincerely,Teresa Scott

Jan Cook We're "old folk," but we have KUNC on 24-7! We wake up each morning to in depth news as we lay in bed sipping tea or coffee. A wide variety of music accompanies our day; should we not be home, KUNC entertains the three dogs and two cats. By mid afternoon, when us "old folk" start running down, KUNC's varied programs after 3:00 keep us up-to-date on the latest news and stories. Evenings provide good background music. Then KUNC lulls us to sleep with a variety of music - even the jazz on weekends provide a different sort of tunes to relax and reminisce. Then us "old folk" usually wake up at least once during the night, and there is the BBC news to give us a different slant on the world news. Even when we travel, hopefully KUNC, along with the light timers, is still there giving intruders the idea that we're still at home. Oh, we can't do without our very dear friend, KUNC!

Kym Foster

When listening to KUNC I feel I've been invited to a unique social gathering of the most fascinating and captivating group of people represented by the music and news. The lively conversations go from that one person who loves to talk about Jazz. Another about the Classics. Some feel that Folk Music is the new enlightenment or there is the News Junky with all the top stories of the day. I go from person to person and feel awaked by each one, never bored by the conversation or subject and come way feeling enriched and aware by others around me. That is why I listen... to learn, appreciate and embrace the differences of people, music and cultures around me.

George Peck

I grew up in a small town in Montana listening to the local 500 watt AM station there. It was distinctive and very local. But I was also a bit of a news junky so at night when the AM dial was full of far away stations I would also tune in those far-away places. After a military career that took me all around the globe, I find myself spinning the dial less and listening to KUNC more. It gives me all the things I want from radio: a small town friendliness, with a world perspective and the kind of variety that makes dial twisting unnecessary. Keep up the good work! Patricia Tipton

Well, as usual, I woke up to the sounds of NPR this morning as I have since I discovered I liked knowing what was going on in the world, and, that having a variety of formats to listen to during the day was a good thing. One of the things I love about NPR is that I can always find a friendly voice. When I started traveling to Greeley, I started listening to KUNC. It was my home away from home. When I moved here in 2000, the station was already saved on my radio. I really appreciate the variety of programming on KUNC -- all the way from the Car Talk guys on Saturday morning to eTown to the midday music selections. KUNC does a great job! Keep up the good work.

Jennifer Chapman

Why do I listen to KUNC? You may as well ask why I breathe air. KUNC is my lifeline to what's happening locally and nationally. The rhythm of my day follows the shows on KUNC, and I can often tell time by what's on the radio --Marketplace Morning Edition will prompt me to hustle my kids toward their shoes, and Fresh Air means it's time to begin the bedtime routine. The mix of news and human interest shows with a mid-day music selection that rarely fails combine to form the best public radio station I've had the honor of living near. And I've been around.

Not to mention, KUNC comes in a format busy people (like all of us) can use, it's a multitasker's delight. I love the newspaper, but don't have time to devote to it. The radio plays as I fix dinner or drive the kids around, allowing me enrichment and entertainment while I conduct life. It's more than a backdrop to my day; it's my foundation.

Elizabeth A. Kelly

WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO KUNC?

Listening to KUNC is like having coffee with a friend. The conversation (yes I ‘talk’ back to the radio - especially in my car) is always informative and alternately comforting, inspiring, unsettling, provocative, mostly unbiased, intelligent and funny! All qualities I aspire to and look for in discourse with friends and others.

I especially enjoy the familiar voices of old friends like Jim Beers and Kurt Mowers and, of course, the ‘car guys.’ Tom and Ray’s voices, their positively silly banter regardless of the topic, just bring a smile to my face.

New friends include a recently discovered gem; the report from the Northern Colorado Business Report. Keeping abreast of the region’s economic developments is important to me and I look forward to listening to this feature on my way to work. The segments are both concise and in-depth. Similarly, Colorado Places informs me about places and history I might never have known about despite being a native of this beautiful state. Such a pleasure.

Then there’s the music. E-town, World Café and the diverse music selections played throughout the day are the dessert, the biscotti, that completes the experience. What a deal - thanks KUNC!

Jillian Thompson

Why I Listen To KUNC

Living in Colorado has many dandy outdoor advantages, but it’s not the most cultural place in the US. Without KUNC I would never have known about Sebastian Horsley, an author and professional Dandy from London. I had never heard of Dandyism but now I know it is a form of self-worship which dispenses with the need to find happiness from others, sort of. Not only did the report from NPR on KUNC educate me on the ways of the Dandy life; it also informed me that this particular dandy, Mr. Horsley, was denied entrance into the United States on the grounds of “moral turpitude.” The term moral turpitude sent me to the dictionary and aroused my curiosity as to why the United States (land of the free?) would deny entrance to someone just because they lived a dandy life doing drugs and having sex with prostitutes. Why, many of our own congressmen have done the same...I have heard the reports on KUNC.

My point being that KUNC does a dandy job of daily stimulating my brain cells and tickling my imagination, thereby starving off mental atrophy and cultural deprivation. This allows me to enjoy the nature of Colorado while preventing my mind from suffering the downfall of moral turpitude.

And finally, it would be just Dandy if I won the tickets to the Telluride Blue Grass Festival. Thereby allowing me to simulate the Dandy life and exercise my right to throw my morals into turpitude.

Katie Erslev

Hi folks,Here's my blurb about listening to KUNC for Listener Appreciation Day:

It's Saturday morning, and I'm working on a Sudoku puzzle at brunch. I'm waiting for the sun to warm up the March air so I can take a bike ride. I need some company.

I flick on the radio for my usual NPR news with breakfast fix, since I no longer subscribe to a newspaper and what do you know, it's Saturday and I get to listen to Click and Clack! Just what I needed, a good chuckle and maybe I'll even learn something about car maintenance.

Now I'm really enjoying the quiet since I can listen uninterrupted to the next show, my favorite "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me!" They are in fine form this morning, and I'm fixing another cup of coffee just to hear the rest of the preposterous multiple choice news quiz.

I'm trying to guess the answers and wonder how anything like this could be real. My dog gets a good pat since I can absentmindedly scratch him while guffawing at the sly humor about Cheney.

The show's over, what a great time. It's only now I remember I'm planning on a bike ride and lo and behold, it's nice and warm out, too.

Claudia Arbaugh

I like KUNC because of the diversity of what is played on your station and how it is delivered- whether it is local, national or international. I honed my appreciation of public radio in Hawaii. I can't live without public radio's intellectual and thorough content, as well as how it is delivered on air-whether that be music, talk, news, etc.! I moved to CO almost two years ago after having lived in the islands for 33 years. I was a volunteer and listener of Hawaii Public Radio, but find that I tend to enjoy KUNC more because of its diversity of music which provides me with even a more broader base of appreciation! I also love KUNC because you play Hawaiian music sometimes- which of course I love- so thank you (or mahalo- as to how we say that in Hawaiian)! Keep up the good work and as I have time (being self-employed now) I will volunteer for fund drives or any events in which you use volunteers as I have a tremendous amount of experience in doing that!

Derek Olson

Why do I listen to KUNC?

I didn't have a choice. It's what my wife likes to wake up to on her alarm clock. Now I'd have a hard time waking up to anything else. KUNC provides me with all the news, weather, and information I need to start my day.

Evelyn Cadman

Hello, I thought the best way to rein in the verbosity that was sure to pour forth when talking about my appreciation for KUNC was to write a Haiku. While not particularly inspiring, I came up with 3: Music, N P R,Balanced with local colorThe best radio News from N P RDiverse music and much moreOn K U N C. Colorado viewExpands to global insight

Hear K U N C I believe this entire message is still under 200 words. Sarah DeNardo

I listen to KUNC because because public radio doesn't sensationalize the news and it talks about the positive parts of life too. I feel I get more of the straight facts and in between I get to listen to entertaining and informative pieces that can make me laugh, cry, contemplate, or just smile.At least once a week I will bring up something I learned on KUNC in conversations among friends. Thank you KUNC for continuing to keep me informed and entertained.

Herman A. (Jerry) Bloss

I've had the distinct pleasure to follow your application of music of all kinds. You have given us music originating from all over the world. I have heard all kinds. Pop from the States composed in the olden days of ours, Mexican pieces, Irish and Scottish, too. The classic music helps many of us listeners to realize the value of our music produced hundreds of years ago. I personally have wondered how the composers of middle ages have learned how to do record on paper what they produce. These contributors have to think, or know, that what they produce will be liked by those of us who are hundreds of years, or maybe even a thousand, in their future. They all have to be magnificent dreamers. Thank you for giving us this thing of beauty.

William Howell Dear KUNC: I am not sure why I don't listen to KUNC more often. I am a commuter between Denver and Boulder, so I have plenty of time to listen. I realize the choices are many on the FM dial. Today, listening to the radio can be like surfing thru the television stations: Stopping for a moment, then moving on after a few minutes. Better put: Moving on after becoming either bored or annoyed. Most FM radio choices I would even consider (ESPN radio, KGNU, and the one or two rock stations) offer an overwhelming degree of the same material day in and day out. Not once yet have I turned to KUNC and found even an ounce of predictability. The different sources for material and variety keeps me captivated for my entire commute, when I remember to tune to 91.5 FM, that is. Once on KUNC - I am no longer an FM dial channel surfer. Jennifer Anderson

Food for thought and the soulI was hungry for more substantive radio when I tuned into KUNC in 1996. I had heard about what a good public radio station KUNC is. I had been listening to KRCC in Colorado Springs and wanted the same nourishment when I returned home to Fort Collins KUNC feeds my soul with its diverse music that I listen to all day at work. I know I would starve without it. Every morning and evening it feeds my brain with Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Saturday finds my funny bone satisfied with Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk. KUNC sustains me all week long with insightful commentary, music to be found no where else on the radio and DJs who love what they are doing. KUNC contributes to my life on a daily basis and I like to contribute back by volunteering for the membership drives each spring and fall. KUNC offers a menu of gourmet delights that I hope will continue for many years to come.Col. (Ret) Joe Cassidy WHY DO I LISTEN TO KUNC

I LISTEN TO KUNC BECAUSE IT NOURISHES ME BOTH IN THE AREA OF THE

AREA OF THE INTELLECTUAL AND SHEER ENTERTAINMENT. IN FEEDING ME

THIS WAY I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO STAY AU COURANT WITH WHAT IS GOING ON

IN THE WORLD AROUND US. THE NEWS COVERAGE THAT KUNC PROVIDES IS

COMPREHENSIVE AND ENLIGHTENING. THE STATION IS RICH IN

ENTERTAINMENT, RANGING FROM THE DELIGHT OF CLASSICAL MUSIC TO THE

SATISFYING OF HUMOR. MY DAYS WOULD BE EMPTY WITHOUT SUCH ITEMS AS

THE JOY OF HEARING THE HILARIOUS RENDITIONS OF “A PRAIRIE HOME

COMPANION”, TO LISTENING TO THE WRY HUMOR OF ITS SPORTCASTER. THE

INSPIRATIONAL GIVES SUSTENANCE IN THE RENDERING OF THE BIOGRAPHICAL

BY BOTH KNOWN CELEBRITIES AND THE COMMENTARIES OF THE COMMON

CITIZENRY.

IN SUMMATION,KUNC GIFTS THE LISTENER WITH A TOTALLY ROUNDED

MENU THAT ENRICHES ALL WHO ARE TUNED IN.Sue Ballou

Why do I listen to KUNC? Wait, wait, don’t tell me. My husband & I were in the car talking the other day. We had gone out for some fresh air. Our discussion was the morning edition of the conversation we’d had the night before. Having been in St. Paul Sunday, and then set out driving American Routes home and were thus discussing this American life we lead. Anyway, we’d been up way too late the night before listening to jazz after hours and were a little spacey as we tried to find the marketplace. Money was on our minds as we looked for the weekend edition of the local paper, but when we couldn’t find it, starting out at 8:00 AM and looking for almost an hour we had the nine o’clock blues. We finally stopped at a prairie home. Companions were hard to find there, however so we went in search of something to eat. We finally settled at the World Café where they set a splendid table all things considered. After a lovely dinner, we finally found a marketplace found a paper with the local news and came home. What was your question?

Gary B. Haley

KUNC MailBag Peeps,

Staying at or under 200 words is harder than it seems... consider 250 next time? :) Here is my Listener Appreciation Day Contest entry:

In the 80's and 90's I was a single father of two daughters. "Difficult times" is an appropriate description of two entire decades. I was not naive enough to believe society was against us, but, sometimes, it certainly seemed that way.

My daughters and I were very close, but when my oldest was about twelve, an indefinable yet unstoppable force of nature seemed to wedge its way between us. The situation grew worse, no matter what I tried, well into her twenties, even though we both made efforts to settle back into the comfortable relationship we once enjoyed.

One day, not long ago, she asked me how I knew so much about politics and current events, so I explained how I listen to NPR on the way to and from work in downtown

Denver, and occasionally during lunch. (Okay, and to the Car Guys and WWDTM on weekends.) :)

At her home in Paradise, TX, she began listening to NPR too, which has given us many interesting things to discuss besides the turmoil in our past. Thankfully, it's helping!

Listener Appreciation Day? WE are appreciative. Thank you KUNC... the impact you've had in our lives is, in many ways, immeasurable.

Dan Seeber When I moved to Colorado in 2001, I was loyal to my former NPR station. I think NPR people have this happen and then have a hard time transitioning. I wound up with a job in Boulder and a house in Fort Collins. Over the first year, KUNC went from being my news source to my companion on the road. My favorite moment was watching the sun light up the Indian Peaks while having my e-mail read on Morning Edition. Since then, I have gotten a job in Fort Collins. However, I might as well not have any presets on my radio, as KUNC is the only station I listen too. I especially have come to enjoy the local reports on what is happening in Colorado. I know, by the day of the week, what to look forward to that morning – whether it is about gardening or Colorado politics. Thanks for being there, whether on the road or at home!Colin Treiber

Why I Listen To KUNC

Turn Up Your World with KUNCOne day I did, and now I am freeEscaping biased news and boring musicWhile opening a world with much more to itA station that considers all seems to be rareBut this one shatters boundaries, it stands up my hair

Bluegrass, Classical, Jazz, Folk, BluesVaried sounds harnessing splendid groovesDiverse Music, energizing to the corePerpetually leaves me begging for moreBeautiful echoes enticing a half-tranceThe music hits deep stirring up a soul dance

Global awareness through stories and soundsNo dribble and drone that makes my head poundObjective reporting that keeps me in balanceWith credible stories from across the planetRefreshing perspectives break the moldAnd foster learning to which I can hold

Knowledge every morning, with world news storiesAnd Bliss in the evening, with global music flurriesI submit yet persist to this one single baseOf entertainment, news, and music that keeps me in placeThe depth of KUNC delivers joy to each dayAnd because of that, at 91.5 my dial will stay

Jim Warlnad

There are several reasons why I listen to KUNC. 1. Market Place helps me understand in the world of business from the perspective of the consumer and it also helps me understand the point of view of the person in business. 2. The Writer's Almanac puts the written word in a historical perspective, the world wasn't born in the 21st century. 3. Living on Earth is the most important program on radio, commercial or public radio. It makes me understand there is something that I can do to make this a better place.4. Bob Edwards Weekend is the best interview show. He has the best variety of anybody in radio. His questions are very insightful. One of the few mistakes NPR made was to take Bob off the air He gave Morning Edition the reputation that it has today.

5. Speaking of faith is a program that I wish all people who have made the clergy a profession would listen too. It's easy to see that one religion is not superior to another religion.

6. (Notice I skipped a line, hopefully to catch your attention.) The music on KUNC is more enjoyable than that other public radio station. Sometimes you play a type of music that I would call classical, but usually it's different from other classical music. The vast majority of music is very listener friendly. The other station plays good music, but their variety is quite limited. Same old, same old, you know day after day. I live in Lakewood, so sometimes if I want public radio, I have no choice,

KUNC is the best, and any person who has an objective mind will agree with me.

Sunny Brown A Haiku for You

KUNC yea!friendly, grateful, happy, smartlocal radio

Jim Muller Dear KUNC,

To fully appreciate KUNC I think you must be able to take the music, the news and stories you hear and allow it to impact your everyday world. Around the home I’m always repeating stories for conversation with my wife or listening to your music. One day my 7 year old step-daughter named Mikayla looked at me and said “are you telling the truth, how do you know this stuff”? My only reply, “I listen to KUNC”. After further explanation by her Mother she now believes everything I tell her…ha ha almost. Thanks for your multi generational impact. Keri Romine Chuck Dixon forces us to listen at work. We get a lot of feedback from customers and some fun dance moves from chuck.

Randia Morrow

I listen to KUNC because of the journalistic pieces and stories that I just can't find on other news stations. No other radio station gives me such great fodder for evening conversations with my husband, most of which start with: "I was listening to KUNC on my way to (or home from) work today and there was this piece on (fill in the blank)." KUNC keeps me updated on national and local current events and, indirectly and sometimes begrudgingly, my husband as well. We also discover, like it or not, new perspectives and thoughts on a global level with pieces such asMarketplace's coverage of jobs in the Middle East. The roles reverse Saturday mornings with Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, my husband's preferred and primary direct source of news information. Another reason I listen is also the diverse music that has sparked the search and acquisition of more than one CD. Overall, KUNC makes our conversations more interesting and fills our home with laughter and beautiful music. Why would I ever stop listening?

Betty Omeyer

What a deal to get a personal briefing on events of the world before getting out of bed. Tuning in to KUNC between 4-5 a.m., I get information from BBC before KUNC begins the local and national information sharing. By the time I start the morning chores at 6:30, I am well on my way to knowing what is happening in our volatile on our volatile little sphere. Since the radio in the barn is also tuned in, the half dozen horses and I continue to be educated and entertained as the sun peaks over the eastern horizon. I love Weekend Edition with news analysis by Dan Shore, entertainment by Car Talk and Garrison from Lake Woebegone, not to mention head challenges with the Puzzlemaster . Early reviews of significant literature drive me to pester our local library for books which keep me caught up on great reading.

At 78 years as I am, the old head is atrophying, so it is important to have a place to tune in and get a daily "brain-transfusion" and to enjoy the variety of music that tickles the ear and delights the heart. . KUNC rocks!!!! Thanks. Stanley Scott

Everyone loves an underdog, and for me NPR is a perfect metaphor for that smart, poignant lightweight that packs a punch. The heavyweights of mass media want to tell me about things that just don’t matter… KUNC would never assault me with the latest on Brittney Spears; and honestly, I would rather listen to a marathon-style emergency broadcast signal. When I’m tuned-in to NPR I might as well break the dial, because when I turn on the radio I never feel the need to change the station. The voices are familiar, the topics are interesting and at the end of the day I feel like an informed citizen by tuning in.I hear music that crosses boarders, stories that transcend words and a host of reasons to believe in humanity. KUNC has become an extension of my senses, connecting me to the world through its un-biased news, diverse music and commentary about things that matter. When our options consist of sugar-coated entertainment sources, we need a fighter like NPR to represent the public voice. I believe in public radio, KUNC is my NPR station because so much depends it.Jon and Tenley French

I’m a KUNC listener because: In lieu of cleaning my kitchen floor in silence on a Saturday morning, it fills our home with the witty sarcasm of “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” Instead of living in ignorance, I am educated about current events and receive the insight of experts who provide the background I lack. Rather than existing blissfully unaware of our languishing economy, Marketplace Money advices me on how to respond. I gratefully substitute the images, hype, spin and sensationalism of TV news for knowledge, substance and cultivated voices that are not just inside my head. How else could I be dumbfounded by the puzzles of Will Shortz, advised on how best to remove bird droppings from the hood of my car, introduced to the clients of PI Guy Noir, enlightened as to why I should keep egg whites in the freezer, informed of both the weather forecast and the status of the presidential primaries in the same three minute segment, and entertained with a live performance of Brandi Carlile on the same day? Because it’s public radio…but on steroids.

Rusty Schweickart

The reason I listen to KUNC can be summed up in one phrase: making commuting enjoyable. I live in Loveland and commute to Boulder; but because of my work schedule, this can happen at any time of the day. Most often, I listen to Morning Edition and All Things Considered during the normal rush hour commute. This keeps me up to date on the news that, because of my long driving times, I don’t have time to read in any of the fine local newspapers. Less frequently, I travel to Boulder around noon. During these commutes, KUNC provides a menagerie of music that often makes me smile at the shift from one genre to the next. But my favorite time to listen to KUNC is during my evening commutes. I love to listen to Echos as I watch Orion rising over the mountains. The new age music puts me in just the right mood for the graveyard shift. KUNC makes the commuting part of my day so much more useful; I only wish I could hear Terry Gross’s interviews more often! Nisha Bare I listen to kunc everyday on my drive to work and back. But it was not always like that,I surfed for days and months for some channel that would provideentertainment as well as stimulate the brain with some sensible programs. And by sensible I mean news that is NOT about Britney Spear's latest debacle or Linzy Lohan's latest tryst with rehab. America is the world leader right now, I agree, but it disappoints to me see how ignorant Americans choose to be about the rest of the world and the happenings in the rest of the world. To most Coloradoans, the news and events in and around Colorado is sufficient . But am glad that KUNC is changing that attitude. The debates over controversial topics, the upto date accounts of current affairs, the market analysis are all so wonderfully thought provoking. Whether it is American politics, housing/sub prime crisis and its effect on people, the analysis of the collapse of Bear Sterns or climate change -- all topics are handled with such dexterity that I end updebating on these topics with my husband. I ask myself questions that would normally have not crossed my mind, I try to figure out ways in which I can contribute to reducing the effects of climate change, I am touched by some of the real life incidents people share every Friday. KUNC has the power to provoke thought, the power to stir emotions and the power to allow people to form opinions on the basis of facts! KUNC provides an overall view of the situation be it Bosnia or Baghdad.I think that is how news should be - unbiased, concise and accurate. Caitlin Green

OK, I suppose technically its two entries, but together they're still probably less than 200 words...

one haiku for KUNC:“blue radio in a sometimes red state”by Caitlin Greencall letters, air wavespoetry, car talk, guy noiris KUNC.

Why do I listen to KUNC? Because of its soulful inspiration (see below).i.e.a limerick for KUNC“Public Radio: A place to rekindle abandon loves”by Caitlin Green

He has such unfortunate looksPoor Keillor is a man of books.He wanted a girl,But none would unfurl.So alone he plays with his rooks.He had almost called out checkmateWhen a girl came through the gateHe had to admit,She wasn’t a twit,Perhaps Terry Gross was his fate.To his poems she would listen‘Til they would stop for some kissin’.It all went so well,Till things went to hell.She asked him to pick her or Ibsen.It hit her like a lethal dose,His choice made her truly morose.She quit Woebegone,Left tears on the lawn,And wanders the prairie, a ghost.So Old Keillor once had a gal,But chose in favor of his pal.It is a mystery,How KUNCGot them back in the same corral. John Lyons Dear KUNC; Currently I live way out on the plains of Northeast Colorado, and KUNC and public radio are like life giving water to a thirsty plant. I am that thirsty plant, for no where else can I get the news and music and entertainment that keep my brain and soul alive, and remind me that out there in the big world there are people and events that I need to keep in touch with. Without that sustaining breath of air, I believe I would have gone utterly mad years ago. Thank you so very much. You have saved my sanity more than once. Sandra McGarry

In the beginning came sound. A world of strings and piano keys and reeds to tell the stories. These sounds become essential. They are organic and have moods and flavors all their own. You live them. These sounds of living come at the turn of a dial. KUNC sounds where you hear ivory keys unleash the lives of classical composers. Where lips put to reeds the songs that make us weep and swing or curse. Where strings can make you stop dead in your tracks or wipe the heavens clean of clouds. Or best to give you a belly of joy. Clean, crisp, catch me if you can sounds. Balance. Balance those sounds over the day. Balance the sounds of the human voice with updates of news, of the music of everyday living, of speciality programs that are intelligent and make you important.Color. Color goes with sound. KUNC meets the criteria of color with its variety of sounds and information updates. KUNC comes on my daily walks. KUNC cooks with me in the evening as it updates me on the market place. In the beginning came sound. It stays. It stays in the letters KUNC. And that is good. Jan and Doug Nichols

Why we listen to (and support) KUNC: KUNC symbolizes our new life in northern Colorado—staying in touch with the world through NPR (including “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” and “Weekend Edition”); enjoying Diverse Music; and being entertained by special programs such as “Prairie Home Companion, “Car Talk,” and “Wait Wait... Don’t Tell Me.”

Victoria Strohmeyer

Why do I listen to KUNC? My house mate when I was an undergrad at UNC (1972-1976) was a disc jockey at KUNC. “Sam” was a young woman from Des Moines, Iowa, and she was beyond her years in knowledge of the world and all its possibilities. Her dog was named Siddhartha, and her favorite book was Be Here Now by Ram Dass—in paperback, with the spidery-webbed Mandela and indigo cover. Sam turned me into a vegetarian, a music lover, and a groupie for many bands, most notably Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many other bands that played at Ebbets Field down in Denver. That was her favorite venue, and I was her driver as she did not have a car. Our mobile music box was my 1969 VW Vanagan pop top camper. When I lived in Chicago and New Jersey, I missed KUNC’s special blend of great, unusual music, and NPR. Now that I am back, I love that I live in the broadcasting area, and it great to know that with the WWW many others can hear the programming and music unique to KUNC. My favorite program is Wait Wait Don’t Tell me.

Thanks for providing great music for all these years! ¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬Mitch Hankins

REASONS THAT I LISTEN TO KUNC, IN TWO HUNDRED WORDS OR LESS (NOT INCLUDING THIS TITLE, WHICH IS EXCEPTIONALLY LONG AND IF CONSIDERED WOULD IN ALL PROBABILITY DISQUALIFY ME FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE GENEROUS PRIZES THAT I SO RICHLY DESERVE)

KUNC is

Knowledgeable, Ubiquitous, Narrative, Cordial. Kinetic, Unpredictable, Nonconformist, Cerebral Kentucky bluegrass, Useful information, National public radio, Cultural oasis

KUNC

“Keeps Us Naturally Curious.”

“Kickstarts Useful Newsworthy Commentary.”

“Keillor Universally Needs Criticism”

“Keenly Unique Noteworthy Channel”

Keeps Up Needed Culture

I listen to KUNC because of

“Kind-of Unusual Nighttime Concerts”

“Kindly Understated News Commentators”

“Klezmer’s Usually Not Carried”

“Knowing Underwriters Nourishing Community”

Keynoted User-friendly Nonstop Commitment

Kingsolver, Updike, Nabakov, Capote

Kindred Upbeat, Nourishing Creativity

Karma Urges No Commercials

Katzenjammered Until Next Car-talk

Kayos Usual Numbing Cacophony

Kiboshes Unrelenting Noisy Commercials

Kosovo Unrest Necessitates Concern

Karzai Uses National Communication

Knee-jerk Urges Not Communicated

Tony Rowland Coverage of all I enjoyThe words voices and pictures I seekRadio does what other media can notThrough it all together my learning has never stopped

To sit quietly, understanding international boundary concerns, Financial details, religious discussion, reliving speeches and momentous concernsCar conversations and musical history, eclectic sounds both late and early,Why, it is easy to see how we relate!

I believe in the power of this communicative devise,So it is on in my world to dusk from dawn.While listening has carried me fromSouthern Cal and KPPC to the Willamette Valley’s KLCC to Madison and WORTMy anchor of late is the place where my world is well tuned, here at KUNC.

These verses may be odd and lacking in polish; the sentiments reign clear and full of concern,That we continue to enjoy the serious and mundane hearing the good the bad, the full refrainThe challenge we support, the desire to know who and why the radio they listen.So, keep up the effort, the testing of resources; the defining of peoples desires maintain.

Mary Ann Chambers Why I Listen to KUNC: The Mystery of Diverse Music

KUNC’s diverse musical programming was mystifying to me when I started listening in 1994. Calling to pledge, I asked, “Why can’t you play the same kind of music for an hour

or two?” The volunteer said, “We like it that way.” Still perplexed, I asked a friend, “What is it with the musical programming at KUNC?” She answered, “They play one instrumental and one vocal,” So; I started listening; instrumental, vocal. Mystery solved. I finally got it, and I am still listening. KUNC allows everyone to hear music they like and introduces them to new music, tunes they would not choose themselves. It is all good.

Dan Kimpton

The reason I listen to KUNC is that it scratches all the itches in my day-to-day. I’m a news junkie and listen on my commute (25 minutes each way). I have it tuned up on my kitchen radio and listen in peace when the kids aren’t around with the TV’s not blasting. Then, the real peace comes when it isn’t news time and I happen to be by a radio. The music is real pleasure. I can’t think of a single time when a music set struck a wrong chord. I used to be a DJ at a community radio and I know how hard it is to put together good sets. I never would have thought to put together some of the varied tunes, but KUNC always pulls it off.

Another reason – not insignificant – is that my closer local NPR station comes across as a little too big for it’s britches. I much prefer the approach that KUNC takes for the necessary fund drives. I appreciate the on-air personnel for KUNC much more. I’m almost ashamed to say, I’ve passed up more than one used car that didn’t have good reception for KUNC.

Kim Browne

KUNC is the only radio station that I have on at my place of work. I have an open art studio ( www.blueeggarts.com) and the programs provided by KUNC add just the right dash of inspirational background music to enhance the creativity that flourishes there. I turn KUNC on the minute I walk in each morning and I love it!Kim

Ellen Laverdure I moved out to Colorado in July 2006, leaving behind my East Coast community, my friends- even my dog, in order to be “Nana” to my first grandchild. Grandmothering is a joy; but finding a new community was difficult, and I felt isolated and alone.Then I heard about KUNC public radio and one day in September I tuned in to KUNC's Diverse Music. I felt like I was “home” – at least musically. That day was a turning point for me, in helping me create a new community among the great folks of Colorado. Listening to KUNC reminds me that we are not so different from each other, no matter where our "home" might have been. The diverse music of KUNC sometimes speaks to me of my East Coast home, and at other times guides me to a new place, a new home; one where I live and love and make my own life's music.Thanks, KUNC, for your friendship, and for being a bridge from my past to my future.

Sally Harms Every morning we tune into KUNC and open a box of surprises. There’s Karl with breaking news. Here’s our audio magazine with reporters bringing up-to-date stories of interest about local, national and world events plus human-interest stories that leave us crying, laughing or stunned. Today’s box has Tom Hacker with Northern Colorado business reports and Garrison Keillor’s Writers’ Almanac with a favorite poem I hadn’t heard for years. Dr. Marc Ringel, Fran Cadez, Tom Hisey, Jody Hope Strogoff - voices we recognize as we take them from the box with their interesting commentaries about local stories and issues. We pull out a wealth of financial information from the Marketplace in our box. And there’s music all day. The weekend boxes have Prairie Home and Wait! Wait! – what treasures they are. Matters of Faith and Bob Edwards are always worth unpacking and listening to. Finally, late at night, if we’re driving, there’s Echoes to keep the trip interesting or if it’s very late we can pull out Jazz After Hours or BBC World News to keep the drive interesting. We appreciate KUNC every day because they provide this box full of programming we absolutely could not do without. Elizabeth McCoy

I, like so many others, commute to work in the morning. What better companion to have during my journey than “Morning Edition”. Morning Edition is refreshing in its ability to entertain both the intellect and the soul thoughtful stories and commentaries. In fact, it is the only radio station I can tolerate. Most other stations are airing sleaze and sensationalism. I would rather be uplifted in the morning rather than thrown in the gutter with these other shows.

I look forward to listening to Tom Throckmorton on Wednesday mornings. His comments inspire me to get out in my garden and enjoy getting my hands dirty.

American Voices is another shoe I enjoy. It allows me to slip out of my own shoes and into those of someone in a different place in their life and perhaps a different culture. This gives me a new respect for the lives of others.

Car Talk is another of my favorite shows. The banter between the brothers is entertaining and the advice is helpful.

I also enjoy music from the hearts of space. This is the only radio forum where I have heard this unusual and peaceful music. Thanks for being willing to air it.

BK Loren Because I choose to participate positively in my life. Because sometimes I must pay for things I don’t believe in: an unjust war, for example, and so I pay happily for what I do believe. Because one morning I called in sick, and I actually longed for my commute because that’s when I hear NPR, and KUNC is the only Front Range station that plays NPR. Because after 9, I hear Vivaldi; Ben Taylor; Dave Grusin; Eliza Gilkyson; Natalie McMaster and Ray Brown back-to-back-to-back. Because where else can I win Bob Edwards’ voice on my answering machine, be charmed by Click and Clack, soothed by David Dye, and stimulated by Terry Gross on one channel? Because Garrison Keilor has a face for radio and when he recites Writer’s Almanac mid-morning, just when I’m about to lose myself to the work day, the stress, the hardness of life, right then, he reads a poem: “Just before it rains, the lilacs thrash weakly.” And I remember yesterday evening’s light, how the storm lowered, and the lilacs in my garden thrashed weakly. I come home to myself. I participate in my life, give thanks for a station that speaks for my community. David Radloff Why? For news unvarnished; music to make smiles or tears; personality.

Jill Murphy Long I’m a loyal listener of KUNC for seven years now—ever since moving to the Rockies from Southern California. KUNC is my link to the world outside my beautiful Yampa Valley, my cultural connoisseur to know who’s performing where in my state, and my political adviser, especially crucial with the upcoming presidential election. When you live in a rural town of 10,000 and with only five stations—three that play country music all day long or another that dips you back in time to the disco decade and the big ’80s, you become very grateful for such a station as KUNC. If you pick me as “KUNC’s Number One Appreciative Listener,” I’ll keep a daily blog from the 35th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Plus the first date of the festival is my 45th birthday—what a way to celebrate! I’m also an experienced interviewer and would love the opportunity to talk with Oscar winners, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglová, from the beloved movie, Once. We’ll be calling you from the lawns of the concert to patch through so your listeners can hear, too.

I really hope they do a sequel and call it Twice. [Word Count: 194]

Phyllis Barber Whenever I switch my dial to 91.5 on the FM band, I know I'm going to a party or a concert or an outdoor festival somewhere and that I'll get to listen to the best of the best from whatever geographical region, from whatever genre and from whatever era in time. There's happiness for me at this place on my radio, and having recently moved back to Colorado, one of the things I most anticipated was the chance to tune into KUNC again. Thanks for your brilliant programming because I like the best in jazz, classical, folk, blues, avant garde and even space, all of which you seem to have investigated. May you continue to thrive,

Penny Valentine

WHY I LOVE KUNC

KUNC came into my life 1985. The variety of music brought joy into my world. I would make tapes so I could hear the superb music in my car as KUNC didn’t have the signal it has today. It was a fluke that my home stereo was able to receive the signal.

Several years ago, when faced with the possible loss KUNC, the public rose to the occasion and saved the station. Clearly, KUNC is cherished by many. We are very fortunate to have a radio station with such a commitment to excellence. Where else can we hear Ralph Von Williams and Angelique Kidjo in the same set?

My home is filled with KUNC’s diverse music and informative news. I laugh with The Car Guys and Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me or weep at Morning Edition’s story of another soldier lost in the Iraq war. My 17 year old daughter listens to the station in her bedroom. The diverse music and exceptional reporting have broadened her horizon.

I am proud to be a supporter of such an extraordinary station. Thank you for what you provide to our community.

Janet Hollingsworth Why do I listen to KUNC? It’s like asking: Why should I be aware of the world outside myself? It may result in a heavier conscience, but awareness is crucial in knowing one’s place in the world. Whether involved in politics or not, if decision-making becomes divorced from morality, culture begins to disappear. Hearing accounts from different people and cultures helps to keep this in line. I listen to KUNC because—while it may not always be the bearer of good news— it provides accountability and an informed discourse about the state of the world.

KUNC is my cup of coffee before my cup of coffee. It’s what radio used to be. And at times, it is the spike in the punch. It is refreshing. And while I may not always know what Kai Risdall is talking about when he does the numbers, there are the stories and shared experiences that provide a glimmer of something good, or at least something real, which is vital to our awareness of this world and our place within it. Molly Martin

We discovered KUNC about 5 years ago when we moved to Fort Collins from the Roaring Fork Valley (KDNK was our beloved station there). Upon moving here we also got a dog. We didn't know any radio stations in the area but would have the radio set to just about anything while we were away at work only to find our house half destroyed when we returned.

It turns out our dog doesn't really like talk radio during the day when his golden furry body is stretched from pillow to pillow on our bed. Once we found KUNC with the diverse music programming during the day our home became a peaceful and in order place. Not to mention we have a much happier dog too.

Jim Dorothy My day starts with a warm, sunny welcome fom KUNC's articulate and knowledgeable staff even on a snowy cloudy day. I keep the radio permantly on KUNC so it is available at the touch of a finger where my attention is drawn to expectations of diverse music interspersed with weather, current events, news, stock markets and much more. I can multli-task while listening, planning and visioning my daily activities. KUNC is more than a voice coming from my radio; it is my carpool buddy without the driving distractions as with a cell phone. dorothy theobald

Hanson,Lea Please consider the following for your advertised competition and membership involvement program: I recently read the book Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Although Quinn’s novel discusses the revolution of human-kind, he offers one of the more compelling definitions for diversity that I have heard…. and I work in higher education, folks: “What’s the good of diversity?”“…It’s certainly more….. interesting”“What’s wrong with a global community that consists of nothing but grass, gazelles and lions?”“… [it] would be ecologically fragile….highly vulnerable. Any changes at all in existing conditions, and the whole thing would collapse.”

Yes. “Diversity is a survival factor for the community itself. A community of a hundred million species can survive almost anything short of a total global catastrophe… But a community of a hundred species or a thousand species has almost no survival factor at all.” (p. 129-130). Now, granted, my world in Northern Colorado is not about melting icebergs nor is it about lions and gazelles, at least not directly. But seriously, there are some comparisons here. What IF the world consisted only of republicans… of only Muslims… or people who went to college? If this were the case, we would be poorly equipped to flourish in our various communities. Let’s face it, if we weren’t exposed to diversity, we’d be a lot more vulnerable. My personal commitment to be exposed to diverse viewpoints and experiences is one of the most important things to me and KUNC’s creative and impactful diversity of music, news, and stories about people inside and outside of my world provides me with a little piece of this in my daily life. Reference:Quinn, D. (1992). Ishmael: An adventure of the mind and spirit. New York: Bantam/Turner Books. Nisha Pattan

Hello, Here is what I think of KUNC :

KUNC is great, because there are so many topics to debateBe it the climate or the political fate, Diverse music or latest shows and flicks,Everything KUNC covers , even how you can grow flowers !!

Nan Harvey

K U N CThe Connection to the WorldA World of all seasons, A world for all reasons A Passport to Passion A Renascent

“All I could see from where I stoodwas three long mountains and a wood;. .Over these things I could not see;These were the things that bounded me.”

Renascence by Edna Vincent Milay

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KUNC: “Passport to Passion:” to a wide world, of peoples, cultures, times and places: in a flick of the switch, my passion are engaged.

I connect to the world, I hear the views of others, what’s new (and old) in literature, music, poetry, the sciences, money and politics: my passions are awakened.

I am always connected, tuned in to the 3 L’s of the world”, language, learning and laughter. We are in partnership to grow my brain. Your voices, with lightning speed, engage my brain and my heart. Even if you are background, your voices are cross stimulating my neural fibers. When you are my focus you are Whole Brain Food!

Mine could have been a shrinking world, one with geographic electronic “deadzones”, of relinquished collegial professional engagement, and some restricted mobility. Instead, you have afforded me an “inalienable right” to transportation into worlds, endless excursions, voices that cause me to smile, chuckle, laugh and think. When the scene begins to weigh heavily, I tune into your inspirational programs, listen to people who selflessly make a difference in the world.

You make this a good place to be.. . passionately connected, growing, learning, laughing and loving. You are an Archimedes in the world of communication: Your lever is long enough and, with listeners as fulcrum, we can move the world. You summon a new day in an old world!

Nancy Mendenhall Although I try to limit my exposure to the negative effects of advertising, I cannot completely escape them. One effect I find most concerning is feeling that I am less than I could be if I bought the product being touted by the ad. If I am not careful, I can really let this get me down! Then KUNC comes to the rescue. While driving to a meeting today, I found myself making yet another mental note to check out a link on the KUNC website. Scarcely a day passes when I don’t hear a story or commentary that makes me want to learn more. By the end of each day, there are usually a couple of subjects I do remember to follow up on, and probably a few more that I have temporarily lost in a back corner of my mind. The information, ideas, stories, music that I hear on KUNC counter the pressure to consume, and fill my life with a richness that cannot be purchased (except, of course, by supporting my public radio station!) Thank you, KUNC, for the sense of abundance and completeness you bring to my life! Esther Starrels

Ode to KUNC

Kindred spirits existentially linked by radio waves, the listeners shareKeen minds in search of new perspectives and greater knowledge.KUNC keeps us current on politics, economics, art, music, and science withKaleidoscopic features: Kazakhstan oil, Kandinsky paintings, Kentucky Derby characters –Kudos to KUNC for the highest quality coverage.

Unbeatable combinations of classic, jazz, contemporary music-U2 to Echoes, blues standards to Mozart plusUtilitarian and useful advice from Tom and Ray and Marketplace-Umpteen reasons for me to turn to my favorite place on the dial, I’m anUnabashed fan of KUNC.

Non-commercial radio spares me the jingles and jive…I getNews from the Morning Show, All Things Considered and the BBC.Necessary fundraising drives are nearly painless -Not interrupting (well only a bit) Lynn Kasper, Tom Throgmarton, and Terry Gross.Noteworthy plays and cultural happenings are announced Friday morn soNo one misses out on what’s going on.

Calm inspiration or comedic bits from Lake WobegonCharacters on NPR give meaning to our chaotic world.Corps of reporters, clear and concise (but with no attitude!)Capture what’s significant on all Earth’s latitudes.Congratulations to Colorado’s best public radio station for Connecting our community continuously since 2001!

Kim Brown

Dear KUNC,I am a National Public Radio addict. Since being introduced to the programming in 1983 by an office mate, I seek out NPR member stations wherever I live or travel. Nearly two years ago I began working in Brighton and discovered that my daily commute took me out range for one of the other NPR stations. Momentarily, I panicked, but then consulted NPR.org and found KUNC.You can imagine my joy in learning not only is KUNC an NPR station but FM, something "the other" station did not offer. I can listen to KUNC all the way to northwest Arvada with the purity of an FM signal.Now I have the station and the signal, but the programming is even better. As a community banker I regularly share and use the information I hear on Marketplace. I love Fresh Air, This American Life, the Car Guys and the World Cafe.KUNC is a great station and I am grateful that it has been supported for so many years by loyal listeners.

David Marsh

Having grown up overseas, adjusting to life stateside has been quite the journey. Nothing has seemed to fit just right. I've often been the wanderer. I stumbled across NPR four years ago. It was a serendipitous moment. Every program, every voice announcing has become as comfortable and familiar as the slippers at the end of my bed. It has made my life navigable, if you will. I am informed, cultured and empowered in a day. I'm connected to an intimate community. I am in touch with the world. Finally, I am at home.

Denise Newberry

I had the opportunity to meet W.D. Farr on a bus. I think he sat next to me as I was the only “woman” on the bus, he just smiled! I was a budding water rights specialist, my “seat mate” was a very important part of Colorado’s water history, I was to discover on our ride to Grand Lake. We introduced ourselves, I thought to myself, for a pretty old guy he certainly knew a lot about water! As the bus pulled in, I noticed the name of the Pump Station at Grand Lake: W.D.Farr !!! WOW, that day was special for me, never imagining what I was going to learn or that I was starting a friendship I would treasure like no other.

Last April while listening to KUNC’s Colorado Profiles, I was transported back in time. It was by chance W.D. and I met -- and there was no chance I could leave my car radio that morning. I hung on to each word, picturing that bus ride many years ago. Timing is everything and just four months later one of the smartest men I ever knew passed away at 97 after living a spectacular full life!

David G. Conner You want creative? I’m an engineer; I don’t do creative, but I know that KUNC completes, enriches and surrounds my life. My radio alarm is set so that I catch Marketplace before work and “The Puzzler” with Will Shorts before church. I listen to KUNC as I drive to and from work. I even listen when I ride my bike to work when the weather is nice; and feel just a little smug when Morning Edition has an article about global warming or the rising cost of gas. I have an MP3 recorder with a radio alarm so that if I’m busy I can record Car Talk, Wait Wait, and Marketplace and listen to them later. I listen while I’m at work. I love the diverse music; from Classical, to contemporary, to standards to the occasional spiritual; then there’s Writer’s almanac and Startdate. In fact, because I had listened to Stardate for years I easily passed the astronomy portion of the Colorado PLACE exam for science teachers. I would love to be selected to win a Listener Appreciation prize because although I have worked the phone banks and helped purchase the station I have never been “Caller number 3.”

Karen Harford After I moved from Arvada eight years ago to small town USA in rural Southwestern Nebraska, I often times felt shut off from the growing world. Eureka -- I could still get KUNC in my car - even though I could not get it in my house. As I bounced across the

pastures in our pickup, I could continue to learn about Susan's favorite cranberry relish for Thanksgiving, or how the orphans in foreign countries were being cared for, or how the Katrina victims were surviving, or about the New Testament being translated into Gullah. My world was no longer small -- KUNC had once again come to me with stories of the world. These stories were warming stories, heartfelt stories, chilling stories. On those occasions when I travel back to the Denver area, I listen to KUNC the entire distance by tuning in to three different channels along the way. Thank you KUNC for bringing the larger world with all it's wondrous (and not so wondrous) stories to my small corner of the world. I am just a speck in this enormous universe and you bring that to light. Doreen Somers

Greetings and Happy Spring...

KUNC is my connection to the world outside of my life as a parent, driver, lunch and snack maker, friend, PTA member, wife, sister, soccer and track mom, employee! KUNC allows me to keep in touch of the much larger world around me, by bringing me the news of the day and words and works of so many, many people. I lean an ear towards the radio upon waking to it as my alarm clock to listen to whatever story is being reported...as I ready myself for the day, I attempt to finish listening before heading down the stairs to my day of what must get done and get me out the door to a day of good activity...if I time it right, I often can hear the rest of whatever story I started, in those waking moments, as I continue on the road from a repeat from hours before. Thanks for keeping my mind functioning and building me a bridge to the world I live in and don't live in...with the stories that take me each step along the way in my knowledge of living.

Have a great day and thanks for reading my entry. Greg Luke Listening to KUNC really means one thing to me…ECHOES! As a resident of Parker Colorado, a small town about 90 miles south of Greeley, I was dismayed several years ago to find out my local public radio station was dropping the Echoes program. Even though the program only aired one hour on Sundays, it was my favorite program for many years and the main reason I subscribed to public radio. Much to my great joy, I happened to accidentally come across the KUNC signal several years later while cruising my radio dial - although the signal quality was weak then and often difficult to tune in. To my surprise, not only did the station carry the Echoes program it aired 5 times a week and for several hours each night!! Even though much of the local news, upcoming events, and weather updates don’t have much relevance for me down in here in Parker, I made a financial commitment to support the station for this one reason alone. Thank you, thank you KUNC for satisfying my Echoes craving every week!

Mike and Erin Margenau The Sounds Of Knowledge – on KUNC Hello KUNC my friendI’ve come to listen once again.Because my radio comes aliveWhen tuned to FM 91.5.And the wisdom that was planted in my brainStill remains.I love the sounds of knowledge. From restless dreams I wake to newsFrom BBC and worldwide crews.Then as the sun comes up I must listenTo the news on Morning E-ditionWith Steve Inskeep and the lovely Renee MontagneThey fill my brainWith the sounds of knowledge. And as the morning goes alongI hear the sound of soothing song.Diverse music that is just first rateFrom Wendy Wham and Marc Applegate.An interlude of peace in a hectic dayThat in its wayAdds to the sounds of knowledge. "Fools," said I, "You do not knowKnowledge like a river flows."If you listen to KUNCYou’ll get smarter just you wait and see."All Things Considered" with Robert Siegel and Melissa BlockOh, it’s a lock.You’ll hear the sounds of knowledge. And as my day turns into nightI tune in "This American Life."That Ira Glass knows how to entertainAs the light of day begins to wane.Then at last it is David Dye’s World Café …That ends my day.A KUNC day filled with the sounds of knowledge

John Lewis

KUNC is the rhythm of life. The very first thing I do each day is to turn on the radio. (My radio has tape over the tuner knob so that it isn’t knocked off station by accident.) While the day starts, I connect to the world. I like that there are interesting tidbits sprinkled in throughout the broadcast, so that I have new things to think about. After the news, the wonderfully varied music guides my day. CDs or download music aren’t even needed, since the distinctive and varied music sets the pace. Breaks for special interest items add spice, and hourly updates about the world keep me connected. I’m never out of touch, and the day sings on. Thoughtful in-depth coverage of our world ends the workday. Everything is covered. Sometimes there are driveway moments, sometimes I’m spurred on find out more, and often I have interesting things to share with friends. You never know what’ll happen on Earth The day winds down with special music spotlights, dimming to relaxation, setting the tone for rest, so a fresh day can begin, with the first thing of the new day… Jan Idzikowski

“You don’t know what you got ‘til its gone”, is a lyric I came to understand more when KUNC was off the air for a few months in the Eagle County area last year. Every morning I would turn the radio on with the hope of a new day, to hear the voices of NPR and KUNC; my family, bring me the news and music like a mother brings warm cookies and milk to her beloved child, only to hear a taunting hiss, as if it were saying, “not today, no cookies for you!”. Like an addict, I would desperately try to catch a fix on-line when I could, or while driving to Denver. But it was never enough. I needed KUNC on my morning drives. I needed it to relax my soul on the ride home from a stressful work day. I needed KUNC on Saturdays to take in every show, one after another, like a bowl of sweet strawberries.

When the antenna was finally fixed, it was like the sun breaking through the clouds. KUNC, I don’t know why I need you so much. All I can say is that I can’t quit you.

Monica Esposito

My husband and I decided three years ago to build a house. We had always listened to KUNC in the morning before work or on our way up the Poudre Canyon to ski on the weekends. But, KUNC really became our go-to station when we started this little “project” three years ago. We wanted to build a strawbale house, from the ground up, with our own hands. We agreed on the size of the house, the location, the commitment to do the project together. But, one little hitch in our step was the music. He wants reggae, I want folk, he wants bluegrass, I want alternative (you get the idea). We could always agree on one thing because our musical moods never seem to coincide. Good ‘ol KUNC, always there, always different, always entertaining. We like our Car Talk and Garrison Keillor on Saturdays, This American Life on Friday nights, Marketplace Money is always sobering in the middle of a house building project. We may argue about the placement of a window or the color of a wall, but KUNC has been one thing we have never argued about and believe me, I thank you for that everyday.

Bob Campagna

I listen to KUNC for many reasons. The first attraction was in February, 2002, when I worked in the Bill Reed Middle School darkroom in Loveland, CO. I was teaching a photography class as a visiting artist in residence. I obtained a radio and found KUNC so I could listen to Morning Edition. I kept the radio on, and later that morning a mysterious show aired, one which I found to be "Stardate". No such show is aired in my former home state of Iowa. Last summer I married a woman from Loveland, and now l live in Colorado. I listen regularly to KUNC. What a delightful experience. KUNC reliably carries news via NPR plus a thorough local news coverage. Secondly, I like the diverse daytime music offerings. And finally, I set my cell phone alarm to 11:20 a.m. so that I don't miss Stardate. Many thanks to you all.

Amanda St Ivany

I grew up in a small Missouri town tucked between rivers, farmlands, and charcoal plants. There was no NPR; I didn't hear NPR until college, and then I was hooked. My days started with Morning Edition, and my weekend routine involved Car Talk, Thistle and Shamrock, and Prairie Home Companion. After college I used my sociology degree and traveled and worked around the country. NPR was always there. I heard a friend who worked for Wyoming Public Radio announce the 2004 Presidential Election results from Thermopolis, Wyoming. When I lived in Utah, an episode of Prairie Home Companion was recorded in Salt Lake, and I understood the cultural jokes. In Washington DC, I met Brian Nailer and upon hearing him now think, "I know what he looks like!" Last summer I took a cross-country bicycle trip and would stream live concerts from npr.org in libraries when it was too hot to ride. I've now settled in Denver, and KUNC is the thread that stitches my previous 4 years together. When I listen to Morning Edition, I'm not sure if I'm in Missouri or Utah or DC or Colorado, but it doesn't matter. The important thing is that I'm still listening.

Joyce Horsman

The Importance of KUNC to me. I am a person who hates to be idle for any length of time. Twenty years ago I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder which explains my inability to sit still. Being able to listen to KUNC while I go from one thing to another is wonderful. I hear all I want to hear of what is happening in the world. The music soothes my mind and body and is never boring. I have three radios in the house and they are all tuned to KUNC. When I go from room to room doing the things I need to do I can listen to the programs at KUNC. I don’t think my radios would play any other station. The same goes for my car radio. Yea! I get a dose of all my emotions – laughter, sadness, joy, anger, and peace – while listening to KUNC.

Joyce Horsman (pronounced Horse man) ; 53365 WCR 15; Carr, CO 80612 ; 970.897.3130

Sarah Jamieson Shrum

Dear KUNC,I love you because of our similarities and differences ... We two are similar in that we both:• are of the same age (I've got a few years on you), • dedicate ourselves to excellence, • love a similar eclectic mix of music, • believe that NPR is the best source of news there is around, • appreciate the tender and quirky stories of Prairie Home Companion, the riotousness of Click and Clack, and the downright hilarity and wackiness of Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. In our differences, I am deeply indebted to you for:• exposing me to hundreds of new musical artists, • being so well regarded in the folk / singer-songwriter scene that you can share your personal interviews with these folks with me, • stretching my mind with new views on news, current events, and global concerns, • being available and dependable all day, everyday, • exposing me to all sorts of new passions (celtic music, cooking, carburators) that expand my world. One often hears how a person grows to more and more like his or her parent(s) as the person matures. I have great parents and so am proud if I am becoming more like them. In addition, I hope that I'm also becoming more like my radio station! Cindy Reich

KUNC--my beacon from GreeleyComforts me nightly with the BBCMakes my ears dance with gleewith daily music of diversityWhat do I love about KUNC?The calming effect upon my chiWhen the stress of the worldPresses down on me

Sally Whitney Dear Community Advisory Board, Why do I love KUNC?Well, I get News in the morning,

News in the evening, and Music for my mid-day drives. I get a daily dose of business information through Marketplace and Marketplace Morning Report.I get wild, wonderful, and (sometimes) wacky weekend offerings. I get the element of surprise in the eclectic mix of music offerings. I don’t know if I will get the calm of classical, the jolt of jazz, the bounce of bluegrass, or an arpeggio of acoustic. Whatever it is, it seems to fit my mood and makes my driving time enjoyable. I get great local news coverage and a diverse mix of daily commentators, not to mention the local weather forecasts. I get just what I need from KUNC, which is why I will remain a loyal member and supporter of the greatest radio station around! Tom Kechter

There are those that would say, and I am one of them, that they like KUNC because of all the many and varied things that they learn just from the listening to it. Where else, after all, can you hear of the trials of global warming and the trouble with warring tribes in the same half-hour? Tune in on any given weekend and you can hear how to fix a ’65 Buick as well as a proper beef stock for stew. All of life is covered. If at once you thought that you might possess a mild mannered knowledge of politics and the life and style surrounding it all, it is of “Super Delegates” that our radio teaches us today. At one point in the KUNC day you might hear of the death of some faraway star while later it is excerpts of “Sleeping at the Starlight Motel.” Nowhere else, for good or for ill, can you hear the names of Nobel poets and prize winners spoken in the same segment, sometimes nearly the same breath, as Jackie Chan movies or the new Smash Mouth single. KUNC may not always change your life, but it will always add to it. William Kohler

KUNC is my shelter from the storm that is public media and the pop-branded sensations that greet me on normal radio. It is the sound that wakes me each morning to what is happening in my world and what is important in the world around me. It is the stimulation to get outside the pre-programmed music and news diatribe that spills from the commercial airwaves. It broadens my horizons beyond Fort Collins to the wrongs in society and to what is still right out there in world. It encourages me to look to new music and ideas that I would never hear without it. It encourages my action and involvement in my community and beyond to challenge global warming, bad government, and poor decision by my elected officials. KUNC is deeply imbedded in my daily routine and without it I would be lost to the sea of corporate radio and divisive talk radio. In essence it is a part of me that I am not willing to part with.

Jean Bruns Here's my entry, along with my sincere gratitude for all of you and all you do:

KUNC…such a fine and dependable friend. How grateful I am to awaken each day to the familiar sound of your smiling voice. Whenever I turn to you, you’re there, generously offering a thoughtful and unique gift. How refreshing it is to find a friend so intelligent, honest, and confident, yet respectful of my intelligence. You quietly challenge my thinking without loudly imposing your viewpoint. Your multi-faceted personality shines through in an amazing variety of ways. You enlighten, entertain, inspire, and surprise me…sometimes all at once! Frequently, in your presence, I feel my mind expanded and my emotions touched. You introduce me to fascinating people, places, ideas, and opportunities. I am richer for the music you play and the poetry you recite for me! The time I spend with you seems to pass quickly and I often sense being somehow transported beyond myself. Even after we part, I commonly find myself pondering the experiences we’ve shared and wanting to share them with others. It’s unusual to find a friend as smart and sophisticated, yet down to earth and friendly as you. What a privilege it is to have so interesting and delightful a companion to travel with along life’s road.

CAROLE SALMAN

Why I Listen to KUNC It took a serious illness which disabled my eyesight for me to learn the value of my public radio station. I listened to it all day, every day, for several months and was happily surprised by what programs were available. Now I listen to much more than the in-depth news and music of daily programming. I discovered the delight of weekend selections. I love the programs that get behind the scenes of world news, yet I get a balance with fun and laughs from shows like "Car Talk", "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" and "A Prairie Home Companion". Even the informative programs such as "The Splendid Table", "Speaking of Faith", and "Marketplace Money" are produced in an entertaining manner. All these programs and many more are presented without the interference and disturbance of commercials. Public radio has been a great gift to me and I am pleased to donate to keep it on the air! Elaine Logan

KUNC – You wake me up! Hillary Clinton speaks. Barack Obama speaks. John McCain speaks. Diners in Lancaster, Pennsylvania speak. Tibetan monks speak. French Prime Minister Sarkozy speaks. The ghost of Bobby Dunbar speaks through his granddaughter, Margaret Dunbar Cutright. Pico Iyers speaks to Terry Gross about the Dalai Lama. Taylor Branch tells Terry Gross about Martin Luther King. I listen. I want to speak too. Here’s why!

I sit in my car, in King Soopers parking lot, listening to Margaret Dunbar Cutrights story. She cuts it right for me. I get on my email lists. I tell my friends that tonight Pico Iyers speaks to Terry Gross. I get a thrill when I hear: I’m Terry Gross and this is Frrresh Airr! Pico Iyers speaks firm and gentle words. Dang – is he channeling the Dalai Lama? I wake up and drive to work. I listen to KUNC. I drive home. I listen to KUNC. On a Saturday night driving home from Boulder, I hop about in my driver’s seat. I’m driving in the slow lane, and I’m driving home to 9 O’clock Blues. That honky tonk piano gets into my bones. I’m going home and I’m happy. Thank you, KUNC!

Louise Stephens

I don’t need 200 words to say why I listen to KUNC. It’s simple: I’m new to the Denver area and KUNC has helped orient me to the Rocky Mountain scene and mentality! Moving here would have been far more alienating it without you! Thank you!

Janet Baird

To whom it may concern:

My husband and I live off-grid in a small, hand-built, square-hewn "home". We have 2 solar panels for our 3 lightbulbs, vcr player, and most importantly, our radio. KUNC is our life line to the local area, state, nation, and world. It occurred to me that the term "listener appreciation" expressed both sides of the same coin. Which came first?? I believe KUNC's efforts at "listener appreciation" of "me" , a listener, produced "listener appreciation" on MY part.A Mozart clarinet concerto was featured and I actually have that music!, As a woman of faith KUNC nourishes and stretches me with Speaking of Faith. I've visited the homes of our Irish cousins and YOU offer Thistle and Shamrock to remind me of those great times. I love to travel...KUNC offers music from many cultures on its mornings of Diverse Music. My car model was a topic on Click and Clack. These are just a FEW examples of how I see "listener appreciation"working both ways. I'm sure KUNC appreciates each of its listeners and , therefore, each listener appreciates KUNC for his or her own personal experiences. Thank you.

Martin Orner

Meow,

My name is Huckles and I am a cat. That said, I spend a lot of time just lying around the house. The other morning while the Old Man was getting the little ones their milk and toast (first breakfasts) I heard the radio say they were looking for some feedback. Well, around here, we listen to KUNC a lot. In the a.m. the Old Man listens to the news, and lately I know when its 8:50 ‘cause he starts mumbling when the market report comes on. I look at him, and just hope the bagged food keeps coming. We don’t have mice (I’m a little old for that running around schtick anyhow). You see the Old Man stays at home with the two little ones, and Mom goes to work. We have a non-traditional household.

So, after the girl’s second breakfast of fruit and cereal, and Old Pop’s third cup-a, and with a lot of good diverse tunes over the airwaves, it’s about time to trance out to the Garrison Man & Writer’s Almanac. Something about that cat’s voice,,,if I’m not purring then I’m sleeping.

Well, the day keeps rolling on and so does the music. Lunch time then nap time (my favorite), then 2 o’clock with the news and the market numbers. The Old Man is either jumping up and down and yelling “Yea college fund!” or else he’s banging his head against the wall. More music to sooth the wild man until Mom comes home about 3:30 when the little ones are rousing and waking up. Old Pops makes some excuse to get out of the house. We kind’of cruise through past suppertime and the little one’s bed time to 10 p.m. That is when Moma and the Old Man get to bed, talk about the day and chill to Echoes on the radio. They turn to jelly within the first half hour of the show and pass out.

And that is a glimpse of our weekday! I’ll purrrrruse you on life during the weekend when we chat again.

Meow to thou,

Huckles the Cat

Megan Richard

I love KUNC because Prairie Home Companion is so funny. I listen every Saturday with my Mom. I like how Garrison Keillor makes those really funny sounds. My favorite song is Ketchup. Car Talk is funny too. When a mouse crawled into our car and died and stunk, I wanted my Mom to call in, but she didn't want to talk on the radio. Thank goodness other people do. I love KUNC. Tanner Richard Age 8

Krys Obrzut

In the days of carriage drawn travel, people relied upon the pony express and the read telegrams to communicate in a timely manner. This was marvelous in my great grandpa’s era. Later on, we had radio and finally television, but grandpa always loved the

radio and so do I. National Public Radio with its global distribution of media makes it seem like we are “light years” ahead in our ability to communicate the latest. On-air NPR brings the force! I liken it to the utility of flying jets; sometimes we use them for protection, business, world travel and other times for leisurely connection in the human family. I feel like I am moving when I hear the news in the morning, it gets me going. I travel all over the globe or stay put right at home listening to President Bush, international NATO conferences, the battles of America, presidential candidates arouse the political conscience, or the history of Martin Luther King. I listen to the radio and find satisfaction in this old-fashioned media because the voices have such soothing intonation; they give re-assurance in a world of turmoil. Listening to the news about everyday people, Garrison Keilor, Click and Clack, Marketplace, the Splendid Table, music that soothes my soul and NPR’s rich programming become a life companion in my daily life.

Lezlie Stroh

Hello,

Recently in this last year my family and friends have become loyal listeners to KUNC radio. Why? In our hectic world with so much stress and upside down news events, it is wonderful to listen to a more calm voice and music to keep centered, happy, and with less hype and useless information. We really like to get an educated view of current politics and government without droning on and on. We listen in the morning for news, music, weather updates, and events in and around Larimer and Weld County. In a home with three and sometimes four generations present, we all have found that we agree to this one station, either for real listening, singing along, or background music. We have searched for the perfect station to follow, AM and FM and satellite radio as well, but we keep needing to come back to 91.5 FM. We get it in the mountains at our cabin there, too. We also have a nearly deaf and blind mother in our home who struggles with memory loss from dementia. Your radio station is her mainstay for staying current and focused. She grew up with radio, and TV just doesn't appeal or make sense to herat all. We have her listen to KUNC using headphones to go to sleep in the early evening, and it keeps her company during the night and morning. If you have ever had a relative with dementia, you will know how important orientation and keeping the mood constant can be.

Thank you for providing such quality programming.

Did we mention that we love the Rock Bottom Brewery and especially Fort Collins Nursery to add landscaping flowers for our Mom to enjoy this summer?