For almost thirty years, Christwood Retirement Community has been committed to adding value and amenities to residents of the Northshore Through the years, they have built a Community Center, a fitness center serving adults 55+ and open to the public, established the Atrium Gallery featuring local and regional artists, and hosted periodic concerts open to the community. Today, they are excited to have their own public radio station, WCWD 89.5FM, in conjunction with the public radio station WWNO in New Orleans, and offer twenty-four hours a day of classical music to our area.
The station began as the concept of the Rev. Steven Holzhab, executive director of Christwood, and Paul Maassen, general manager of WWNO, 89.9, in New Orleans. The two stayed in touch after working together when Holzhalb was on the board of WWNO and have long discussed establishing a Northshore bureau of the New Orleans station to broadcast classical music.
About four years ago, Maassen received word that competition would soon begin for a small number of Federal Trade Commission licenses, and he suggested to Holzhab that Christwood apply. With the aid of Mark Balkin of WWNO, Christwood applied, and an FCC license was awarded to Christwood.
Robert Carrol, engineer for WWNO, located a tower on the Clear Creek Stud Thoroughbred Farm in Folsom, which had originally been built and owned by John Lohman, Christwood’s first executive director. Ken Hamlin, IT director at Christwood, assumed the responsibility of bringing the new radio station to reality and oversaw its successful completion.
Christwood, a not-for-profit Life Plan Community, has long championed initiatives that bring the greater community together. By becoming the licensee for WCWD, Christwood extends its mission beyond its campus in Covington, offering an innovative platform that merges community living with cultural broadcasting. This partnership highlights the community’s dedication to supporting public service and local arts.
100 Christwood Blvd., Covington, LA 70433 | 985-898-0515 | christwoodrc.com
