This poem, which fondly recalls former WQDY personality Ron MacKechnie, was written by local poet Alberta Farthing Owens. Alberta was born here in Calais in 1936, graduated from CMHS in 1954, married Frederick Owens in 1961, and used to write poetry for the Calais Advertiser on occasion.

Ron MacKechnie

The Good Morning Man

His surname is MacKechnie,
He’s known to all as “Ron”;
It seems to be his pleasure,
To greet you with the dawn.

He brings you all the local news,
And the national scene, as well;
What happened this day in history,
And the weather forecast, he’ll tell.

There’s a variety of music,
To brighten up your day;
And a visit from Joe Healy,
Who hails from across the way.

A devotional time is also heard,
That’s something that’s needed by all;
Kids wait for those “no school announcements”,
In the winter and the fall.

Ron hosts the show call “open line”,
On which you can sell, or swap, or buy;
A favorite time I look forward to,
On W.Q.D.Y.

You can tune him in at 1-2-3-0,
That’s our local radio stations;
Up here in the sunrise county,
“Downeast” to the rest of the nation.

I’m sure if you “picked him up”, just once,
On the station at Calais Maine;
You’d find your listening pleasure such,
That you’ll want to do it again.

-Alberta Farthing Owens

WQDY Radio station – photo by Tom McLaughlin