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Perspective: Happy 30th, WNIJ!

Jenna Dooley

Happy Birthday, WNIJ! I remember when I turned 30 - well sort of. My recollection of when I started listening to WNIJ, however, is clear. In the 1990’s I was living down under in Sydney, and my mate in Geneva would mail me tapes of WNIJ broadcasts -- yes, cassette tapes! Programs like the Saturday Blues that Dan Klefstad curated and hosted, along with NPR news and arts features. My passion for radio kicked in, and I volunteered at a community station.

Years later when I moved back to Illinois, I had the good fortune to score a part time job as one of the WNIJ Jazz hosts. John Hill was my jazz guru, and Susan Stephens was patient and professional as I learned from her how to bring in the NPR news feed. Later, when Dan asked me if I’d host the Saturday Night Blues, I was stoked.

The WNIJ team is an exceptional bunch of individuals. I could easily list 30 of their attributes, but here are my top three: passion, dedication, and inclusivity. That’s why we as listeners feel a sense of community when we tune in, and the “Perspectives” series is a perfect example.

Thanks, WNIJ, for bringing us together, reporting news from near and far that we can trust, and creating and presenting music and arts programming to feed our spirits.

I’m Paula Garrett and that’s my WNIJ Birthday perspective -- here’s to 30 more years!

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