You can be a part of WGEN! We welcome you to the opportunities that extend from being on-air to fundraising. As a volunteer you could work on the web, help with technology, help with production, write announcements, online marketing, social media, or even gather and report the news. Or if you’re interested in receiving training or interested in hosting a show start the volunteer/intern process by clicking the button below!

I grew up in a small town listening to the radio. Everywhere. in my room at night, in the car, in the garden, working. I studied communications in college, worked for newspapers, did some PR work, married, raised my children and then, found myself divorced after 25 years.

With no real resume to fall back on, I did some voice over work, and I was an unhappy property manager who wanted to use her education. It had been an abusive marriage. My confidence did not exist.

One day, I wandered into an LPFM station and offered to write the news for them FOR FREE in exchange for a good reference if they felt I had earned it. I figured it would freshen my skills, add to the resume. Put me in my area again, rebuild my life. They laughed. Everyone there worked for free. They had me write the news, then I was reading it every morning, then I was doing some voice work for their sponsorship spots on the air. Then, the morning guy left, and less than two months after I wandered in, I found myself, terrified, doing the morning show. Alone. I did it for about 5 years. I went to the internet, I grew an audience.

I loved waking people up. I loved helping people. I met, good, kind, caring people who wanted to make the world a better place. I wanted to do more. But to do that, to really get educational programming on for children, to help other non profits as they helped our world, I needed to do it better.

This is my attempt at that. I agreed to continue to do the show for three years, every morning, Monday through Friday, from 5 am to 10 am, to help secure the sponsorships for such a station.

I formed a non profit, the Board of Directors waited patiently as we found a station, purchased her, and are now putting all the pieces together to bring my dream to Monee, IL. I am grateful for the kind help and assistance of many people on this journey and with the help of our listening communities, our volunteers, and some luck, and a lot of hard work, we can really be the change we want to see in this little corner of the world. One show at a time, one volunteer at a time, one day at a time.

I want to do for others, what was done, so graciously, for me….I want to train volunteers to do radio shows. I want them to feel the joy of helping others. I want to thank all those who have helped me become so much stronger by helping others. I want to continue to introduce and interview other people in the world who are working to help their fellow man.

Yes, WGEN-FM is a pay-it-forward effort. If you will allow us, I think we will entertain and inform you. If you’ll help us, we will make you smile and fulfill our mission. For that opportunity, you have my gratitude.