The guiding hand

at WJFF steps down

Her voice will remain

By FRITZ MAYER

fritzmayer@riverreporter.com

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY —Christine Ahern moved quickly through the radio station, greeting guests, answering questions and plugging in equipment as if it were just another day. But this day, October 12, marked the ending of a 10-year reign during which Ahern, station manager of WJFF, became known as the voice of the station and a community.

Ahern first heard about WJFF in the early ’90s when she was working on the Sloop Clearwater in Kingston. Kevin Gref who, with his wife Barbara, owns the dam that powers the radio station, was working on a radio program about Clearwater. Ahern said, “We were talking about this hydro-powered, community radio station, and I was in love, just right away, and got involved.”

She moved from volunteer to board member and finally to station manager when Bette Popovich left that position in 1997.

One of the memories that stands out for Ahern was when the Lake Jefferson Hotel burned down in February 2002. The station’s transmission lines had melted and the station was off the air. But the staff and volunteers determined that they might be able to transmit from the tower on Elk Point Road in Liberty. Ahern and company bundled off to the tower and continued the fund drive.

“People stopped and visited us, they brought us money, they brought us food. There’s such a community of people who care here, and there’s such a resourceful group of listeners.”

So, why leave? Ahern said, “It felt like a good time to leave, [it’s been] 10 years and I kind of did the things I could do here.”

She said she will stay in the area and continue to be a presence on the air with her program Friday Forum.

She’s checking out a few options, but hasn’t yet made a firm decision about what she’ll do next.