my day at chicago public radio

Last Thursday I volunteered to answer the phones and take pledges from members of Chicago Public Radio. Yes, I am proud to be an NPR junkie. Getting to see pledge central has always been a dream.

I must say these folks know how to treat volunteers. In addition to paying for parking (which easily would have cost me $20), they also provide meals during each shift. It doesn't stop there though. During my shift they had a guy doing chair massages and they had a box of free books for the taking (I decided I needed bookshelves before I add to my book collection). But the best part by far was the tour of the station!!

At 6:30 we were given the grand tour of the station. I learned that they built this building which is located on Navy Pier specifically for them. We got to see where they do interviews as well as got a complete overview of how they edit shows during pledge drive time so they fit within the allotted time. It was fascinating.

We also got to see Melba Lara in action. She was in a studio recording promos for the next day. She has the most amazing voice. It was great to put a face with that voice. I love All Things Considered.

Chicago Public Radio is probably best known for This American Life, hosted by the incredible Ira Glass. Unfortunately Ira and his staff were not in, but our tour guide did give us a thrill that only an NPR junkie could appreciate -- yes, I have seen Ira Glass' office!

I probably took half a dozen calls while I was there. There were about 25 volunteers, so no one felt overtaxed. Everyone who called was very nice and appreciative. All had their own story to tell.

Bottom line is that next time pledge time rolls along, I highly recommend giving a couple of hours. If you love NPR, you can't help but have a grand time.