First Volunteer Story-of-the-Month!
KUT volunteer Rudi Lee and her son, KUT producer Mike LeeWe’ve been thinking about ways to share all your great stories with the community. Have a story about Austin or KUT (especially volunteering at KUT) that you’d like to share? Please email Kim at volunteer@kut.org if so – and you could see yours next month!
Here’s our inaugural story, from volunteer extraordinaire (and mom of KUT’s Mike Lee), Rudi Lee!
“In 1997 I moved to Austin from Canyon Lake. My son Mike was producing a program on KUT, so I decided to volunteer during the pledge drive during his show. I loved it so much I decided to volunteer in other ways, too.
One of my favorites was when Carl Kasell from ‘Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me’ came to visit. The other volunteers I was with let me away from the ticket table long enough to meet Carl during his meet and greet, but only if I would promise to get a hug from him. I agreed (why I’ll never know) and they sent another volunteer with me to be a witness. We got there, I was standing face to face with him, and in my moment of nervousness I blurted out “I’m a Volunteer for KUT and the others bet me I wouldn’t get a hug from you!” Thank goodness Carl has a sense of humor! He laughed and said “Why I think that would be fine”. We hugged and talked for a moment and then I tip-toed away, certain he thought I was some kind of a nut. I’ll never know if he did or not, but I do know I have a moment to remember: the night I got to hug Carl Kasell.
Yes, volunteering with KUT has its rewards. 
”
Note from Kim: I actually spoke with Carl about this moment at a conference. Rudi, it turns out that not only did he remember your hug, he remembers it fondly!
