Thanks so much to all of our hourly and in-kind sponsors – to Emmis Communications and the amazing men and women who produced the -athon, the programmers, the personalities, just everyone who’s made it easy to call Emmis’ lobby home for the past 55 hours. We would not be able to do what we’ve done without their dedication and enthusiasm.

And here are the teary thanks, so buckle up – Thanks to our Radiothon Chair, Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers. You set the tone for giving before the event went on the air! Thanks to Walmart for that incredible demonstration of support! Not only did your $100,000 bump that total, but it went a LONG way in encouraging our listeners to step up and make the calls. Thanks to our Phone Bank sponsor, ValPak and REACH magazine for your generosity and the manpower to keep those calls a’comin. And we can’t forget the folks at Markey’s Rental and Staging for the donation of our big screens – the tote boards are so vital in communicating with our phone bank and with the studio.

On behalf of all of the men, women and children we serve, THANK YOU for your support! This weekend, you’ve truly made a difference right here in Indiana!

It’s been a busy morning, but our volunteers can handle the action. Right now we’re in a lull, so now’s the time to call! We’ve got a fantastic prize package on the Markey’s tote board until noon – a Klipsch home theater HD 1000 system and 2 Gerdt Furniture recliners…the Ultimate Stay-cation! Call our ValPak/REACH magazine phone bank at 1-877-71-PEACE to make your donation and get in on the drawing.

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.

People want to be a part of something big. We all want to know that what we give is counting or, better yet, being matched to do more than we could do alone. These screens keep the momentum up at the event, so the on-air folks can report to our listeners and keep the calls comin’.

We always want to use our supporters’ dollars to reach those in need. That’s why we appreciate our partners who donate the use of their resources so much. Since we don’t have to rent that equipment, those funds can be used to provide shelter for moms and kids, a warm meal to a family in need and even after-school care for Indy metro kids.

That’s a big deal and we can’t thank Markey’s enough.

And as much as we appreciate the support, this sponsorship comes with some great perks. Each time a WIBC personality mentions the phone number or making a pledge, we’ll encourage listeners to “Call the ValPak and REACH magazine phone bank at 877-71-PEACE”. That’s a lot of mentions throughout 55 hours!

Looking for a great way to promote your business and give back to your community, too? We welcome you to join us as an hourly sponsor. With sponsorships starting as low as $500, we have options for even modest budgets. To learn more, you can call Kristen at 224-1019 or visit our event site at WIBCRadiothon.org.

If your business has items to donate that would make great pledge prizes, we need you. What kinds of things? Here are some ideas from Radiothon’s past – dining and merchandise gift cards, tickets to cultural and sporting events, gift baskets, overnight stays at hotels, getaways, home furnishings, electronics, gift certificates for services like maid service, memberships, home or auto maintenance. Really anything that would cause someone to think “hey, that’s an awesome prize” and pick up the phone and make that pledge.

Not only will you be helping us raise dollars to support our neighbors in need in the coming year, but we’ll give you plenty of recognition on-air during the hour your prize(s) is/are offered. We’ll be posting our prize packages to WIBCRadiothon.org prior to the event on December 11-13. And that site is linked to WIBC’s site. We’re also putting a ton of social media efforts behind Radiothon this year with a facebook fan page, feeds on Twitter and lots of blogging. So, we’ll make certain you get that receipt for your taxes and a ton of goodwill in the community.

Sound good? Give Kristen a call at 224-1019 to coordinate a donation pick-up or you can simply mail smaller items to: WIBC Radiothon, attn: Kristen / 3100 N. Meridian Street / Indianapolis, IN 46208.

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.