Alex J Walling, founder of QCCR and long-time broadcaster has passed away.

The mainstay of the Maritime airwaves began his career in Quebec City in 1965 before moving to Halifax in 1972 to work at CHNS radio.

One of the early highlights of his career was covering the 1972 Summit Series.

Walling worked on the mic, in front of the camera and behind the scenes in radio and television over the next four decades covering sports at every level.

In 1988 he founded the Atlantic Media Institute in Halifax to train the next generation of broadcasters. He sold the company in 2000 to retire.

By 2008 Walling had had enough of retirement and founded this station, Queens County Community Radio (QCCR). He sold the station to the CJQC Radio Society in 2012 and they continue to operate is to this day.

QCCR General Manager Brian Godfrey says Walling left a legacy in Liverpool.

“He made quite a big legacy here with getting people connected. You know, people listening, to have something here in Liverpool, to the community radio station,” said Godfrey. “He was doing just the monthly ones, but at least people had a chance to listen to something local, a local radio station and he brought that here.”

Godfrey said even after Walling sold the station he would still drop in or call from time to time to see how it was going.

Walling was married to Kathleen Davis of Brooklyn who died in 2014.

Walling passed away in Halifax over the weekend. He was 77.

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New mixing console ready to be installed. Photo Brian Godfrey

The Region of Queens is providing almost $2,800 in grant money to this station through the Community Investment Fund.

QCCR manager Brian Godfrey says the money will be used to upgrade equipment in the main broadcast studio.

The main mixing console and amplifiers have been in Studio A since the station was launched over 16 years ago.

Godfrey says the equipment still works but as with any technology, it breaks down over time and reliability has become a concern.

“Studio A was always our biggest headache because there’s about, literally, thousands of feet of wire going everywhere in there,” said Godfrey. “We don’t know where it goes so, we had to hire on a couple of broadcast engineers.

The grant will cover half the cost of the new equipment with the rest of the funding coming as a personal loan from several members of the station’s board of directors.

QCCR recently signed a 10-year lease extension at our location on the corner of Market and Main streets in Liverpool.

Upgrading the equipment is part of a larger renovation which will include new flooring, furniture and a fresh coat of paint.

Godfrey says QCCR is a place for residents of Liverpool to hear local voices talking about local issues.

The station is not just a resource for local news, events, and programming but also a destination to hear discussions about Liverpool’s past, present and future.

Godfrey says QCCR is important as it gives community members a voice.

“One thing about the community radio station it’s open to anyone out there that maybe thought, oh, I could be a DJ, I’ve got a voice, but I never thought I could be on the radio,” said Godfrey. “Well, here’s your chance. We’re always looking for volunteers.”

Godfrey says the station will be asking for more funding from the Region in the next budget season to help with the installation costs of the new equipment

If all goes to plan, he expects the renovations and studio equipment will be in place by the end of May.

Anyone interested in volunteering with QCCR can do so by e-mailing Brian Godfrey at: cjqcradio@gmail.com

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Liverpool Kinsmen members. Photo credit: Liverpool Kinsmen

The Liverpool Kinsmen are marking a significant milestone.

Established in 1945, the service organization has been making a difference in the community for 75 years.

Members gathered for a photo Saturday but chapter president Brian Godfrey said by necessity, they’re keeping the recognition low-key.

“Normally we would have had all the different service groups in town, the mayor and other members from other clubs would’ve been here but because of COVID-19 we couldn’t do anything other than what we are right now, letting people know what we do,” said Godfrey.

And what they do is significant to Liverpool.

Godfrey said since 1975 the organization has raised $900,000 to reinvest back into Queens County. The Kinsman have donated money to Queens General Hospital, Queens Place, air cadets, minor hockey and the legion, to name a few.

They are also closely involved in the schools.

“We donate out to the North Queens High School, we donate a $2,000 bursary out there, also, the milk program, the breakfast program out there, same as the schools here in town, we have a $2,000 bursary every year for a high school student,” said Godfrey. “We support the breakfast programs at the Wickwire and we also support the lunch programs at the middle school here in town.”

It’s not just opening a chequebook. The service group also pitches in their time to help where they’re needed during many events throughout the community.

Godfrey, who’s been a Kinsmen member since 1980 said while giving to your community you also get back.

“So it’s a personal learning experience for you too. It can help you down the road too. Like myself, treasurer, well now I’m treasurer here at QCCR, I’ve been treasurer for many, many different organizations but I learned through Kinsmen,” said Godfrey.

Shortly after he joined, the Kinsmen launched their long-running fundraiser TV Bingo. The program went mostly uninterrupted for the past 40 years until the pandemic hit earlier this year.

Godfrey estimates the organization lost around $15,000 when they had to halt production between March and September.

While losing that income was a hit to their coffers, in terms of logistics, it may have been a blessing in disguise.

To meet COVID-19 guidelines the Kinsmen moved the shooting location of their TV bingo from Brooklyn to a newly built studio in the Investors Group building on Milton road in Liverpool.

“We got a brand new studio, all digital and a lot more space. We like it there, easier access for people coming and going, especially some of our older members,” said Godfrey. “They have a difficult time getting up stairs. They don’t have to worry about that. So we do have some of the older ones said, yes we can work now because we don’t have to climb those steps back in in Brooklyn where the old studio was.”

Godfrey said when the Kinsmen started back in 1945 they boasted 50 members. The group now consists of 10 full-timers and two prospects.

He said most of the members have been with the organization for a long time, and they hope to expand those numbers. With the youngest member in their late-20s, they’re always recruiting.

“We don’t want to get together too often so we have a meeting once a month. It’s usually a cooked meal at someone’s house or outdoors somewhere,” said Godfrey.

He says while the pandemic has curtailed a lot of the work they would normally do during the year they continue to find ways to assist the community.

Their next project will be helping to put Christmas dinner on the table for a couple hundred families working alongside other community groups on the Christmas cheer box program.

“Our motto is serving the community’s greatest needs,” said Godfrey. “Where we see a need out there, we help out.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson