CMN Radiothon Raises More Than $190,000
SPRINGFIELD — In their cars, at work, and at home, area listeners tuned into their radios for three days from March 4-6 as part of the 9th Annual 94.7 WMAS Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon, which raised more than $190,000 in support of Baystate Children’s Hospital.
“The final figure has yet to be tallied, as donations continue to come into the Children’s Miracle Network from Radiothon listeners,” said Carol Baribeau, director of the Annual Fund and Events for the Baystate Health Foundation.
Once again this year, 94.7 FM WMAS on-air personalities, led by Rob Anthony and the Kellogg Krew: Chris, Dina, and Lopez, continued their regular radio formats throughout the day interspersed with live and taped interviews featuring young patients and their families, as well as staff from Baystate Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network. Listeners were asked to pledge their support by calling in donations to phone banks located in Baystate Medical Center’s Chestnut Conference Center.
Dr. Lindsey Grossman, chair of Pediatrics, Baystate Children’s Hospital, said the Radiothon is “a tremendous showcase for the care our staff gives to the children and families in our community.”
The highlights of the annual Radiothon included 9-year-old Samuel Lemelin donating $5 on air from $10 spending money he was saving for a future family trip to Florida because he wanted to “help the kids.” Now a picture of health, the youngster was born at 25 weeks and spent 165 days in the Davis Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Baystate Children’s Hospital.
Also, 2-year-old Jackson Quist sang “Happy Birthday” to his mother on the Radiothon and on WWLP 22News in its promotion of the event. Jackson’s family was involved in a head-on car collision, and he was recuperating at Baystate Children’s Hospital during the Radiothon.
According to Ely Dunn, manager of fundraising events for the Children’s Miracle Network, “every penny helps,” and Change Heroes, recruited each year throughout the community, collected loose change totaling over $10,000 which helped to kick off the Radiothon with a generous start on which listeners could build their support for Baystate Children’s Hospital.
The Children’s Miracle Network is unique in that 100{06cf2b9696b159f874511d23dbc893eb1ac83014175ed30550cfff22781411e5} of all money raised goes directly to Baystate Children’s Hospital, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, and Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. and Hospice, to support children’s health programs and services.
For more information on the Children’s Miracle Network and future events, or to make a donation, call the Children’s Miracle Network office at 413-794-1486 or visitbaystatehealth.org/cmn.