Now in its seventh year, the Airwaves for Health Radiothon has raised $475,000 for different healthcare initiatives in the region. This year, the event will be focused on getting ready for a new hospital, raising funds and spreading the message of why a new facility is important to the region.
The big change is that more time will be devoted to the Radiothon, with a six week lead-up to the event. In that time, local businesses will be a major part of the event, taking a variety of approaches to getting involved in the event, explains Angie Norton, General Manager for Harvard Broadcasting in Yorkton. He says that they might have Caring for Others boxes to solicit donations or selling Caring for Others cards in their place of business, donating based on sales on a particular day, simply making a donation, or any combination of the above. All donations will be announced on air, and any special promotions will be mentioned on air in the weeks leading up to the event.
"What we wanted to do this year was provide an opportunity for the business community to participate more fully in the radiothon, but also to assist in creating awareness regarding a potential new regional hospital, and that we are all going to have to raise funds and make contributions if we want to see that new hospital," says Norton.
For an example of a business that is getting on board with the Radiothon and the new expanded program, Norton points to Humptys, which is donating a dollar for every breakfast sold for a week. Fisher adds that this kind of promotion has been embraced by businesses like restaurants and gas stations who want to engage their customers.
This year's event will be hosted at the Regional Hospital itself, making a change from previous years where it has been at the Parkland Mall. The reason for the change, explains Ross Fisher, executive director of the Health Foundation is that it makes it easier for the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to be on air, and talk about the difference a new facility would make for them and for the people in the area.
While Fisher admits that a new hospital is still a few years away, now is the time to show that the community is ready, raise awareness and start raising money for what will be one of the biggest projects ever undertaken in the region.
