Radio Raises $56,000 to End Child Abuse

Topic: Youth-Focused Initiatives

For the 19th year, four-time Crystal Award winner KBHP-FM, KKZY-FM and KLLZ-FM in Bemidji, Minn., supported the 24-hour "Radiothon to End Child Abuse." The event, which took place in December 2007, set a record by raising more than $56,000. The radiothon begins with a live broadcast from a local mall where there are informational booths for parents, free child identification kits and child finger printing services from the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Department. In addition, families gather for live music, games and entertainment. "Groups proudly bring in their collected donations, and we invite them to tell how they raised the money on air," said broadcast group owner Mary Campbell. "There are many special stories of how the community becomes a part of the radiothon. It seems to get better and bigger each year." The fundraising continues with a "Pizza Night" emceed by a KBHP announcer and concludes back at the stations. Intervention experts record messages that are repeatedly aired each hour of the radiothon to help increase awareness. Since the radiothon’s beginning, more than $660,000 has been raised to end child abuse. The funds go to four local county child abuse prevention agencies and one statewide organization, Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota.

Read more stories on Youth-Focused Initiatives »