So far, our total stands at $5,580 – not bad for a cold, December morning. But we need your help. Our goal this weekend is to raise $225,000 for our neighbors in need. We’re off to a great start. Don’t forget to check out our prize packages. There’s some great stuff out there – everything from Pacers tickets to Gerdt Furniture recliners to a couple of overnight stays downtown. Something for everyone! Oh, and don’t forget to check out our sponsor page. We have some generous business partners who’ve sponsored hours with matching funds as well as in-kind donations for those prize packages.

Don’t worry – you haven’t missed your chance to join us. To make your donation for men, women and children and need, go here or give us a call at 1-877-71-PEACE.

Not familiar with Radiothon? It’s a 55-hour marathon of giving hosted on WIBC 93.1fm this December 11-13. WIBC’s on-air personalities donate their programming time to invite us in and let our partners and staff and volunteers tell how we’re reaching out to our fellow Hoosiers in need throughout the year.

This event is vital to our fundraising efforts for the entire year. With about 84 cents of every donated dollar going directly to life-changing programs in our communities, these 3 days go a long way! Sponsorship and pledge dollars help us provide shelter for the homeless, refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence, after-school and summer opportunities for metro Indy children, support for families after natural disasters and assistance for families struggling to provide the basics after job loss.

We’d like to thank our 2009 Radiothon Chair, Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers for their help with Radithon this year. And thanks to our sponsors who’ve already joined us - ValPak and REACH magazine for signing on as our phone bank sponsor, Markey’s Audio Visual for providing our big screens, Dunkin’ Donuts, Planned Investments, Klipsch, Royal Spa, EMS, am/pm convenience stores, Windsor Jewelers, Gas America, the Northwest Kiwanis, Dellen Automotive, Applied Intelligence, The Mutual Fund Store, Indy Moms Like Me, Firestone and Walmart.

We’re still looking for businesses to step up and sponsor an hour during this event. Sponsorships start as low as $500 and can be paid into 2009 with advertising or community budgets. We’re also in need of businesses to donate items for prize packages that encourage callers to phone in and pledge their support.

If you’re interested in teaming up with us for this event, please give Kristen a call at 224-1019.

With sponsorships starting as low as $500, it’s easy to work that into a community giving or advertising budget. Since our campaign doesn’t officially end until January 30, so you can make a sponsorship pledge and pay in 2010! So, don’t let year-end budget crunches stop you from helping your neighbors in need. Commit a portion of next year’s budget and reap the rewards during Christmas.

We’ve worked hard to make Radiothon sponsorships affordable for our partners. Hourly sponsorships are ranked according to WIBC’s listenership volume with the highest levels having the widest  audience reach. In-kind item(s) donations for prize packages are needed and greatly appreciated as they increase call volume and pledges that support our  programs.

Of course, we’re pleased to announce that Quin Buckner will be joining us for a second year. We had a great time working with Quinn and the Pacers organization last year. Their generous donation of pairs of tickets for each hour of the event and two prize packages added extra excitement at the hours ticked by. In fact, almost $6,000 was raised during the hours that Quinn and Pacers President, Jim Morris called the station!

So, as you consider how you can help us this year, we encourage you to get      involved with Radiothon. This year, our 2008 Radiothon partners have already made it possible for The Salvation Army to: 

• Provide a safe shelter for over 800 women and children in the first 6 months of this year.
• Support over 200 former shelter   residents making a fresh start by continuing case management, child care assistance and financial support, breaking the cycle of abuse and homelessness.
• Serve about 40,000 meals to women and children at our shelter.
• Offer no-cost summer camp to over 500 at-risk youth this year.

We appreciate your continued support of The Salvation Army through events like Radiothon. To become a 2009 Radiothon sponsor, call Kristen at 224-1019.

This December marks our 15th WIBC Radiothon on 93.1fm. And we’re thrilled to welcome back our 2008 Radiothon Chair Quinn Buckner for a second year. So, the details are beginning to come together. Mark your calendar for December 11-13!

You’ve heard the news, the economy’s been tough on individuals and businesses alike. But we know that Hoosiers take care of their own and the need is great. The Salvation Army’s seen a 20% increase in requests for basic assistance – help with housing, utilities and food. In April alone, we had 157 women and children living in our shelter!

So, as you are looking at your budget and planning your giving strategy, please remember The Salvation Army’s Radiothon. This 55 hour marathon of giving is the easiest way to make a big difference for our neighbors in need. If you’d like to learn more about sponsoring this event or donating items for our prize packages, please call Kristen at 224-1019.

That’s really what we had at the end of the event, $220,000!!!! (and we were excited when Advisory Board member Don Steel and our own Development Director Jeff Stanger announced that we passed the $217,000 mark.) And that doesn’t factor in online donations and kettle counts still to report, so we’ll be sure to post the official count when we have it. I just don’t know how to express how thankful we are to all of you who gave, and gave and gave (check out the photos here)! A simple “thanks” doesn’t seem like enough to cover the generosity, but it’ll have to do. If you pledged a donation, donated a prize, fed our volunteers, sponsored an hour, answered a phone rang a bell outside or sent a prayer our way – THANK YOU!

Specifically -

First, to our friends at Emmis Communications and WIBC 93.1fm – We truly could not have a Radiothon without WIBC. The on-air time you donate is only the most noticable of your contribution. Thanks for the planning, the programming, the individual hours and the passion you all have for those we serve. We APPRECIATE you!

Thanks to Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers – It was our sincere pleasure to work with Quinn Buckner as our 2008 Radiothon Chair. He is a gracioius and humble man who made the time in his busy schedule to meet with us, take the photos, make the arrangments, record the liners, call in to the event. Bet he didn’t know what he was getting into when he said yes! Kevin Messenger – you made it happen. Your follow up and attention to detail was so appreciated. Thanks to Jim Morris and the Pacers for the gift cards, tickets and so much more!

Thank you to our hourly sponsors – You are the foundation of this event. You lay the groundwork with your contributions and your example encourages others to follow with their contributions. Thank you to Reach USA/ValPak, Barth Electric, Deloitte & Touche, Perkins Nichols Media, Hoosier Trust Company, Walmart, Zink Distributing, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Marathon Oil, Northwest Indiana Kiwanis, MacAllister Machinery, Queso Blanco Mexican Restaurant, Hoosier Glass, The Mutual Fund Store, Planned Investment, Firestone, RAM Tool & Supply, Batteries PLUS, Dellen Automotive and The UPS Store.

Thanks to our in-kind sponsors who donated the incentives and prizes to thank callers for their contributions. Your items built excitement and kept those calls coming! Thanks to the Indiana Pacers, Royal Spa, Gerdt Furniture, the Indianapolis Colts, Palamino, Weber Grill, EMS, Harry & Izzy’s, Yellow Rose Carriage, The Canterbury, Windsor Jewelers, Comedy Sportz, Rock Bottom….there’s so many of you! Go to WIBCRadiothon.org to see them all.

To our volunteers and staff – Thank you SO much for giving one of the most valuable commodities there is….your TIME! For those of you who answered phones, who rang the bells on the Circle, who refilled coffee pots and emptied trash…we COULD NOT have an event of this magnitude without you!

So many people will find the help they need through The Salvation Army because you took the time to support this event. THANK YOU!!!!!