Niagara College’s own Ali Ryder has won the title of Edge Super Fan–and a $5,000 cash prize to go with it.
Ryder, NC’s Outreach and Education Coordinator, was one of four winners in 102.1 the Edge’s 5k Fan Friday contest, earning her an on-air appearance with host Casey-Jo during the afternoon show on Aug. 25.
After each of the four contest winners completed their on-air spots in August, the public had until midnight on Sept. 8 to vote for their favourite on the Edge’s TikTok page.
Ryder received the most votes and was announced the winner on Sept. 11.
During her four-hour on-air appearance, Ryder said being at the Edge’s Toronto studio was “a dream come true.
“I’ve listened to you folks forever. At different job sites–every day we turned on the radio. We don’t watch TV. We have the Edge on, right? We went on a month-long vacation (and) we had to bring you with us. I love the Edge.”
When Casey-Jo asked what she’d do with the $5,000 prize if she won, Ryder said she knew exactly where the money would go.
Ryder used her time on-air to talk about her role on NC’s Student Recruitment team and the dementia simulation that she helped develop at NC with the schools of Nursing, PSW, Allied Health and Community Service.
“First and foremost, anybody who knows me (knows) obviously I’m going to help out a charity,” Ryder said. “There’s an organization in Niagara called Start Me Up Niagara; they do Bike Me Up Niagara because, really, unhoused residents need bikes. So they take used, old, broken-down (bikes) and they repair them and they donate them. Of course money’s going to them.”
Giving a shout-out to her colleagues in the Marketing and Recruitment department at NC, Ryder said she would take them to M.T. Bellies in Welland to celebrate the win, too.
She said she would also give some money to her sister who took Ryder’s advice to go to college.
“I’m going to give her a little bit for her OSAP loan because, like I said, she actually listened to me, followed through and got through it, so (I’m) definitely going to help her out.”
This was the first radio contest Ryder had ever entered, and she did it on a whim. “(It) seemed like a lot of fun, and I felt that my diversity and job role would be a good fit for their listening audience. After they called me and I confirmed my participation, I then considered the gravity of what I had just agreed to!”
She said the best part of it was the support she received from her colleagues, many of whom called in and texted the radio show while she was on-air.
One in particular–NC retiree Cindy Andrews–left Ryder feeling emotional.
“(Cindy) called in and made me blush and then cry–in a good way,” she said. “It is humbling to hear someone you respect so much say such kind words, and everyone present in the studio was touched by her sentiments.
“My thanks to everyone who took the time to listen, reach out, and like my video.”
See a clip from Ryder’s on-line radio appearance here.
