Here at 'OZ you meet all kinds of people, from all walks of life. You learn to listen, because everyone is going through the same kind of things you are. 

I started volunteering here 11 years ago when my kids left me with an empty nest. Transitioning from a stressful career in mental health, I wanted to be around adults who still had fun. For me, that’s what WWOZ is. You can be an overgrown teenager at WWOZ - having good clean fun.

When you first get here, you get in where you fit in. There are so many puzzles and pieces, you’ll find your niche. When I first started, I helped process new music coming into the ‘OZ library. Eventually I began to be the seasonal decorator and I got into property management, keeping this place nice and tight.

There’s a rhythm to everything here. I’m here working at all times around the clock, so I get to know all the show hosts and their rhythms. I work on the same clock they do.

I say, “How much time do I have?”
“A minute and 20 seconds."
I go in and vacuum the studio in 20.

The show hosts’ personalities come out through their music. You can tell what kind of mood a show host is in depending on the music they play. If you know that they’re going through something, they come in and they may be sad, but they play music to cheer up the rest of the world.

I like a little of all different genres of music, and they play all of it. They have me cracking up. I love being able to ask the show hosts, "Who played that?” and I can go home and look it up. While I’m around the station cleaning up I slow drag with the mop – especially with Rare on the Air, he plays that Belly Rubbing music. And Black Mold, he plays some crazy stuff. All the Kitchen Sinks are cool.

You’re on an island and have only one station to listen to… you know it will be WWOZ!

So follow the yellow brick road, and become a Guardian of the Groove. Thank you for donating to WWOZ today!

-Karen Paige
WWOZ Property Manager