The Health Foundation and GX94 Fox FM Radiothon had its best year yet. The event brought in $129,765, which will be used to fund the conceptual plan for a new hospital.
With the success of the Radiothon, the majority of the projected cost has been raised. The remainder of the $180,000 cost will be raised during events in the coming months, says Ross Fisher, Executive Director of the Health Foundation.
Fisher says part of the reason for the Radiothon's success was the business community in Yorkton coming on board for the plan. Business people from throughout the area made significant donations and appeared on air to discuss why they supported the plan. Fisher credits this with helping the Radiothon raise the large amount that it did.
While the event is now over, he says the momentum following the Radiothon means funds are continuing to come in and will be directed towards the conceptual plan. He credits the local initiative with getting people from across the community on board with the project and says that in the days following many people have come forward willing to donate to the conceptual plan.
"This Radiothon seems to have created a really positive environment and created some momentum for us in terms of moving forward with a new regional hospital," Fisher says.
There was also first for the Radiothon, as a bequest for $50,000 was made to the event.
"It's gratifying and humbling to see people make contributions like that, and certainly it's an important way that people are beginning to make contributions to charity, not just with us but all over the place," Fisher explains.
The Radiothon would not be possible without GX94 and Fox FM, and Fisher credits Lyle Walsh, General Manager and Station Owner of GX94 and FM, with coming up with the initial idea. Walsh says that the Radiothon is a good way to use the airwaves to better the community.
"We're glad to do it, and it's something that the staff and the radio stations together have been involved in and enjoy doing. It's always been a worthwhile cause, and it's something that radio can do...
"The airwaves cover the whole region and that's what The Health Foundation is all about, and this particular cause we thought was an exceptionally good one to get involved in," Walsh concludes.
With the success of the event, the fund raising is far enough along that requests for proposals from architectural firms can be made. The plan is expected to take the next year, and it is expected to be five to eight years before a planned hospital will be constructed.
