When Heather Jorgensen started her Sunday radio program with two colleagues at Sweet FM, the station was only five years old. Twenty years on, and both her and the station are still going strong.
Heather, who has lived in the Burdekin region for over 50 years after growing up on a cane farm, has been co-hosting the regular weekly Christian music program since 2005. She was initially inspired to start the program after a priest at her local church sought volunteers.
“We're in church one day, and our priest said they wanted to start a Christian program on the radio, is anybody interested? I just knew I had to do it. It was something I felt called to do,” Heather explains.
The ladies are on a roster, and play a mix of hymns and modern Christian music while incorporating prayers and Bible readings. After transitioning from CDs, they now use USB drives for all their music.
“I started with CDs on a very small console. Now we've got no CDs and a much larger console. That’s been the biggest change in my time here. When we switched over, I searched the internet for all the different artists and songs that I can now easily download onto a single USB stick,” she says.
“We find older listeners relate well to hymns that they would have sung growing up. I also like to find more modern Christian songs, for variety,” Heather states.
Despite not knowing the exact listenership, they have built a good following over the years, with Heather receiving positive feedback from the community who recognise her voice.
“Quite often you're walking down the street and someone will say, ‘Oh, I heard you on the radio on Sunday’, and you think, oh that’s nice. It's lovely to hear,” Heather says joyfully.
She plans to continue the program for some time to come, finding it fulfilling and varied. Heather encourages readers to tune in to the weekly Christian program, which airs from 7:30 to 9:00am every Sunday, which Heather hopes provides a relaxing and uplifting experience.
“It's only an hour and a half and so if people are looking for something relaxing, I find it makes them feel good. It seems to work,” she declares.
If you’re interested in becoming a presenter for Sweet FM, contact the radio station on: (07) 4782-8394 or email: admin@sweetfm.com.au.
Heather Jorgensen, one of Sweet FM’s Sunday Christian presenters, outside the radio station office. Photo: Mark T. Rasmussen
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