KITCHENER -- Angie Hill helps Waterloo Region start the day with a smile, keeping us up-to-date and bringing us classic hits on 99.5 KFUN every day – and today she’s celebrating 25 years on morning shows in KW.

CTV’s Rosie Del Campo joins Angie for a look back at her life and long career in broadcasting.

Congratulations Angie! You realize that’s a quarter of a century, right?

I know, I have no idea how it happened! I’ve been thinking about this for years, thinking, "Wow, imagine if I could stick it out for 25 years?" And here it is today.

25 years is a long time. I know you’ve had so many memorable moments. Do any of them stand out?

Oh my goodness, I don’t even really know where to start. But the thing is, they’re not memorable until I see pictures and realize, "Oh, I was there! We did this, we did that."

I have to say, the fundraising things, starting from Tree of Angels when we started that back in 1995. I remember getting an award for collecting 4,700 gifts and thinking that was a thing. Today, with Toy Mountain, we’re collecting that a day. So it’s amazing to see how these charities have grown. And the Grand River Cancer Centre, we started doing fundraising for that with a Poster Boy campaign before they even started breaking ground. It’s just amazing to see that push that radio could do. And of course, this city comes out in droves to help out.

You’ve become a familiar voice on the radio on KFUN and get up pretty early in the morning.

Only 3:15 (a.m.)! Somedays it’s easy. Other days it’s, "Ugh."  I’ve only had a couple of those days. It’s great, you’re full of energy and you’re ready to go. Working with a guy like Sarge every day and knowing I get to hear great music and tell the odd joke, it’s perfect.

What has it been like to be on the radio during a global pandemic?

I try to think, "Okay, my life hasn’t changed that much, I still get up every day and I’m going into work and we’re still on the air." I think people’s attitudes are different. I’m finding people are more nasty than normal, more argumentative.

I know you really put yourself out there sometimes and get personal. I think you’ve developed a connection that way with your listeners. What has that been like for you?

The proudest moment for me in this business was in 2002 after I had my son. I was going through all kinds of weird stuff thinking I was a bad dog mom, I was a bad wife, I was a bad daughter and a bad mom to this little person. I thought, "You know, I really need some help." I talked to my doctor about it and said, "I just feel like the wheels have fallen off," and he said, "I think you have postpartum depression."

But for me to admit that mental illness, that it was a thing that I needed to get the courage to do, and a thing I still hear about from my listeners. They say, "When I read that story about you in The Record, that gave us strength to say we were having a hard time and it’s a totally normal thing to do and shouldn’t be embarrassed by it."

I figure, Rosie, I like to be that person, if I can be embarrassed for someone first, I’ll be the trailblazer. So I’m okay with it.

You’re giving us strength and you’re making us laugh. I laugh out loud every time I see you and talk to you and any time you’ve appeared on CTV News at 5 or in special segments. Have you always been funny?

Ha! I always thought I was hilarious! But for some people, not so much. My mom was always my measure. If I could make my mom laugh, then that was my favourite thing ever. A lot of people talk about being cutups in the classroom. I wasn’t so much that. If my mom was feeling down or having a bad day, my Gram, too, to hear those people laugh their hearty big laughs, that was a goal of mine every day. My dad is a very funny man too and he’s pretty charismatic. So I’ve had some pretty good teachers through the years.

Those who know you also know you have an incredible work ethic and I know you’ve said your upbringing has had a lot to do with that

Well there was no laying around, that’s for sure. Get out and get a job.

When we were growing up, I was a competitive skater, and my brother played hockey all over the place. That’s not cheap. My mom was a single mom for a good portion of our childhood and just thinking she was going to be using her entire paycheck on a pair of skates didn’t sit well. So I went out and got my first job when I was 14. I wanted to make my own way and didn’t want to be that burden for her.

If there was a classic hit that would sum up the life and career of Angie Hill, what would it be?

"Hold On Loosely" by 38 Special. Because sometimes you’ve got to hang on for the ride and other times, woooh, away you go!