CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This year’s Radiothon at WV Radio Corp. of Charleston raised nearly $188,000 over two days for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
The official number was $187,880, which surpassed the goal of $185,000 the station set for its 11th annual fundraising event.
“These two days are always the best days of our year in this region,” said Associate Director of Fundraising for St. Jude Dan Warble. “What makes it so unique is five radio stations come together to support St. Jude. That doesn’t happen anywhere else in the country.”
In the last hour of the fundraiser, the goal was hit, something that Warble said seems to happen each year.
“People respond. They’re listening to the radio; they want their on-air personalities to hit their goals,” he said. “They want St. Jude to hit their goals. It always happens; people tune back in that last hour to see how we’re doing, and when the station needs help they respond.”
Warble discussed how integral donations are to how St. Jude operates.
“The generosity is the key to the hospital. We primarily run our hospital on donations,” he said. “That (allows us) to do research, and treat kids the way doctors and nurses were trained. We don’t have to worry about whether insurance is going to cover it, or if we get a grant for our research.”
Potential donors were encouraged throughout the two days to become a “Partner in Hope,” by pledging $20 a month.
“When you break it down it’s 67 cents a day. When I started we would compare that to a cup of coffee or can of soda. You can’t even buy coffee or soda for 67 cents,” Warble said. “So really, 67 cents is minimal when it comes to helping kids beat cancer.”
Warble finally commended the Mountain State for its consistent generosity.
“West Virginians always help people in need. Every year the stations throw a goal out, and I think in my 10 years we’ve hit every year but one, so it is absolutely amazing.”