Big Joe Staysniak, co-chair of this year's WIBC Radiothon, was in studio as the 58 hour event wrapped up.

The 16th Annual WIBC Radiothon to benefit The Salvation Army wrapped up on Sunday after 58 hours of programing which encouraged listeners to pledge their support. At the end, $141,164 was raised at the event.

This year’s final total was a little behind last year’s, but it still translates to more than 31,000 meals and more than 1,500 safe nights of shelter for those in need in our community. Of course The Salvation Army would not be able to provide these needs without the generosity of everyone who called in and made a pledge. Thank you!

We also need to thank all of our sponsors: J. Wickham Consulting – Title Sponsor, Val Pak Reach – Phone Bank Sponsor, and Markey’s Rental and Staging – our Toteboard Sponsor. Also, a big thank you to our hourly sponsors: Perkins Nichols Media, Finance Center Federal Credit Union, Planned Investment, Dellen Automotive, Hurst Beans, Central Indiana Roofing and Restoration, Jocham Harden Dimicck Jackson, Northwest Kiwanis, The Mutual Fund Store, Klipsch Audio Technologies, One America, Wilson Kehoe Winningham, Ruth’s Chris, Walmart, Cartridge, Specialist Inc. Firestone, Drug and Opiate Recovery Network, and Seamless Restoration.

This year’s Radiothon Co-Chairs were Big Joe Staysniak of 1070 theFan and WIBC, and Tom Zupncic VP of Marketing of the Indianapolis Colts. Zup was able to get some great prizes this year including an autographed Peyton Manning helmet, autographed Peyton Manning football, Dwight Freeny and Reggie Wayne autographed footballs, game tickets and on lucky donor will get to lead the team out of the tunnel on the Lucas Oil Motorcycle a the January 2 Colts vs. Titans game. Our thanks to Zup and big Joe for all of their help.

Last but certainly not least, we need to thank our long time partner and friends, WIBC. For 16 years now they’ve given us hours of air-time and dedicated support to the ministries and programs of The Salvation Army. Because of your love for this community, we can again serve those who hurting.

Thank you to all for a great Radiothon and we will see you next year!

What’s Angel Tree? Families who request Christmas assistance through The Salvation Army can complete a wishlist of clothing and gift items that are then turned into angel tags. People in the community can then adopt that angel and purchase items on those lists and return the gifts to The Salvation Army for delivery. For thousands of families, this adoption process has become a Christmas giving tradition in their communities. Through the JCPenney partnership, angels can be adopted and shopped for online at their website or through their facebook page.

“In the first year of introducing this program online, nearly 40,000 Angels from across the country were adopted last Christmas,” said Thomas M. Nealon, group executive vice president. “Now, more than ever, customers want to make a difference during the holidays. JCPenney has made it easier for customers to give back in a meaningful way and we feel confident that support for those less fortunate will only continue to grow.”

The online Angel Giving Tree program allows customers to adopt an Angel at jcp.com/angel and request an Angel by location, age range and gender. An Angel who matches the criteria will be e-mailed to the customer along with a list of requested items. Supporters have the convenience and flexibility of purchasing gifts at jcp.com, in JCPenney stores or at any retailer they choose.

With program support from UPS, Angel Giving Tree gifts purchased through jcp.com can be shipped free of charge to the corresponding Salvation Army collection center. The confirmation e-mail will also include a link to drop-off locations in the recipient’s area and ship-to addresses for online orders placed at jcp.com or at other retailers. In order to ensure delivery by Christmas, adoptions and online purchases must be made before Dec. 10. Supporters may also purchase JCPenney Gift Cards through Dec. 14, which will be delivered to Angels so they can buy an item on their wish list. “

“The Salvation Army is preparing for what is expected to be another record number of families seeking help this Christmas,” said Major George Hood, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. “With the need greater than ever, we appreciate JCPenney’s commitment to continue this program so that more children and seniors living in poverty can experience the joy that one small Christmas gift can bring.”

We’ve all heard the saying, “it takes a village” and that was certainly true this October. The Salvation Army has been priviledged to partner with Tuchman Cleaners and Bob Gregory and our friends from WTHR-13 for the past 24 years to gather, clean and distribute coats to kids in need. Hoosiers are a generous group of people donating enough coats (and dollars to buy more coats) to clothe all of the kids who attended Saturday’s distribution day at the Fairgrounds.

So, we’d like to take a moment to thank all the people and businesses who make this event a success. Thanks to Two Men and Truck for donating their time and trucks to pick up coats around the city and deliver them to Tuchman Cleaners for cleaning. We appreciate the hundreds of volunteer hours spent collecting, sorting and setting up coats for easy shopping. Thanks to Burlington Coat Factory and Walmart for hosting our teams while they shopped with the donated dollars. Thanks to our friends at WTHR-13 for their time helping parents fit their kids with coats. And for the officers from Cops for Kids (pictured above) who joined us to give the kids warm hats and gloves to accompany those new coats! Of course, we can’t forget our friends at the Indiana Pacers, Butler University and the Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders for helping us show the families a good time while they wait.

So, are you feeling all warm and fuzzy now? You didn’t miss out on your chance to make a difference in Indy this season. We have lots of volunteer opportunities for you and your group. Check them out here.

Or maybe you’d like to help us with our WIBC Radiothon goal to provide 50,000 meals and 2,500 nights of shelter…go to WIBCRadiothon.org and check out how you can get involved.

Three-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban will be the featured performer at The Salvation Army’s Kettle Kickoff at halftime of the nationally televised Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game on November 25, 2010. Charlotte Jones Anderson, Executive Vice President Brand Management/ President of Charities for the Dallas Cowboys, made the announcement on ESPN’s Monday Night Football this evening.

As part of the Kettle Kickoff promotion, fans will have a chance to win an expense-paid trip to the game in Dallas versus the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints by signing up to be an Online Red Kettle virtual bell ringer at OnlineRedKettle.org. The game will air on FOX starting at 3:15 p.m. CST.

Keith Urban’s halftime show will mark the 14th year that the Dallas Cowboys and The Salvation Army have partnered together to raise money for people in need in communities across the country. During the Thanksgiving Day performance Urban is expected to play a number of his top hits, including his latest single “Put You in a Song” from his forthcoming CD Get Closer (in stores on November 16th). “I’m really honored to be a part of this great tradition and great partnership between the Dallas Cowboys and the Salvation Army,” said Urban. “It’s gonna be amazing playing in Cowboys Stadium in that environment at half time of the Thanksgiving game!”

As part of this year’s Kettle Kickoff, two fans will have the chance to win a trip to Dallas to see the game, by signing up to host an Online Red Kettle at www.OnlineRedKettle.org. The contest is free to enter and allows participants to work as a virtual bell ringer, recruiting friends, family and colleagues to support people in need across America by donating online. Fans who collect the most donations have a chance to win. Fans can sign up beginning October 25, 2010 and winners will be alerted on November 21, 2010. Complete rules and contest details are available online at OnlineRedKettle.org.

“This year, Keith Urban, one of the most popular music artists in the world, will kick-off the Red Kettle Campaign in style and we couldn’t be happier,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, recently announced as the new Chairperson of The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board. “We know Keith’s drive to share his voice with others, will connect with and encourage the American public to give generously and support the important work being done by The Salvation Army.”

Over the last 13 years, the nationally televised halftime performance has become an annual Thanksgiving tradition for fans in attendance and viewers at home. The Red Kettle campaign has raised more than $1.3 billion since the partnership began in 1997 and has helped The Salvation Army to serve 30 million people each year nationwide. Last year, the red kettles raised a record $139 million. Previous celebrity halftime performers include Daughtry, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gillman, Clint Black, Randy Travis and Reba McEntire.

“The partnership between The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys is one that comes from the heart of the Jones family as part of their commitment to help  those in need during Christmas and year-round,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. “Every year the opportunity for Salvation Army beneficiaries grows thanks to this great relationship, as well as the support of great musical talent like Keith Urban, allowing the Army to provide food, utility assistance, adult rehabilitation from alcohol and drug addiction, disaster relief and other services to nearly 30 million individuals in more than 5,000 communities nationwide every year.”

From its original beginnings as a fundraiser started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army workers and volunteers spread throughout the country to ring bells daily and solicit spare change donations to the iconic red kettles from holiday shoppers. In 2009, the campaign raised more than $139 million nationwide, a new record supported by the public’s  nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars, credit cards (and the occasional diamond ring or gold tooth) all collected and used to help people in the communities where they were raised. Last year, the funds helped The Salvation Army provide food, clothing, toys and other assistance to nearly 30 million Americans in need.

In addition to physical kettles, donors can contribute online at SalvationArmyUSA.org or through a virtual red kettle on any number of corporate or individual websites and Facebook pages.

Their $500 donation will help us give kids in need coats, hats and gloves before the snowflakes fly! And there’s still time for you to help, too.

• If you’re a parent, please check your closets at home for gently used coats that your kids no longer need. And please encourage your friends and family to do the same. You can drop off coat donations at any Tuchman Cleaners.
• Make a secure donation on-line here.
• Volunteer to set-up for Coats for Kids by calling Elizabeth at 224-1010. It takes an organized team to distribute thousands of coats.

Hoosiers have never let their neighbors in need down. We’re counting on our community to come out in full force to make sure that no kid goes without a coat this winter. And thanks again to the Lumina Foundation for supporting Bob Gregory’s Coats for Kids campaign!

Thanks to all of our community parnters who supported us with booth, table and promotional sponsorships as well – the Emmis family of stations (93WIBC, 1070 The Fan, B105 and Hank FM), WTHR-13, Complete Office Supply, Adrian Orchards, Two Men and a Truck, Huntington Bank, ComedySportz, Cartridge Specialists INK, Graphicon, Unique Home Solutions, the American Legion, Avon, HVAF and Indy Custom Cornhole. Bandwagon put on a great show, too!

And thanks to our community for coming out and putting those lunch dollars to work for a good cause! If you’d like to learn more (or buy one of those great t-shirts) about our programs that support our neighbors struggling with homelessness and abuse, go to HomelessnessBites.org

Each December, WIBC 93 fm hosts a three-day live fundraising event to benefit The Salvation Army. The 16th Annual Radiothon has a blue hue this year and will feature our co-chairs, Indianapolis Colts’ Tom Zupancic and WIBC/ESPN 1070′s Joe Staysniak. The ‘marathon of giving’ begins at 6 am on Friday, December 3 and ends just before the Colts kick it off with the Dalls Cowboys on Sunday, December 5, 2010.

Radiothon weekend is a lot of fun with Colts-themed prizes and touching stories of the men, women and children whose lives have been changed. But, it’s also a crucial part of funding the programs that provide financial and grocery assistance to struggling families, shelter for the homeless, refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence, after-school and summer opportunities for metro Indy children, and support for Hoosiers after natural disasters.

 So, what about those co-chairs?

‘Zup’ (pictured above, right) is in his 27th season with the Colts, his fifth as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing.   Before joining the front office as Director of Business Development in 1998, he served as the Colts’ Strength and Conditioning Coach. A graduate of Indiana Central University, Zupancic also received an honorary doctorate degree from Martin University in 2010. Zupancic was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1998 and given the 1996 Sagamore of the Wabash, Indiana’s  highest civilian honor. In 2000, Zupancic was one of the 10 recipients of the Jefferson award for volunteerism. He serves on several boards, including The Salvation Army. Zupancic and his wife have three children and reside in Indianapolis.

‘Big’ Joe (pictured above, left) joined WIBC in 1996 after graduating from Ohio State University and completing a successful NFL career. An offensive lineman, Staysniak was a member of the AFC champion Buffalo Bills,  playing in two Super Bowls before finishing his career with the Indianapolis Colts. Staysniak is part of the WIBC Morning Show team and hosts his own show on ESPN 1070 from 10am-12pm, weekdays.  Staysniak proudly supports Emmis Communications’ community efforts, and has worked with The Salvation Army  on numerous occasions including the annual WIBC Radiothon. He and his family reside in Indianapolis.

Our co-chairs’ paths intersected at the Indianapolis Colts when Zupancic served as Strength and Conditioning Coach during Staysniak’s time as a player. They now host a Colts pre-game show along with Jeffrey Gorman and Wil Wolford, called The Heavyweights. The show, simulcast on 1070 The Fan and 97.1 Hank fm and airing on MyNDY, provides exclusive coverage and interviews about the Colts in the hours leading up to the game.

We’re thrilled to welcome these two Heavyweights as our 2010 WIBC Radiothon Co-Chairs. And we encourage you to join us. [check out the promo video] Corporate sponsorships are available starting at $500! We’re also looking for partners to donate prize packages for pledge incentives and for restaurants to donate meals to feed our volunteers and on-air talent who give their time to take pledges and encourage calls. Find out more at WIBCRadiothon.org or give Kristen a call at 224-1019.

Just yesterday, we reached out to Kroger, and like their slogan, we could count on them to come through for us. This isn’t a small act of kindness. We’re anticipating a great crowd this year, so we’re talking about 1,000 or so scoops of ice cream. So, a big thanks to Kroger for stepping up to help us raise funds for our Homelessness Bites campaign that supports our Women’s and Children’s Shelter here in Indianapolis.

And don’t forget to grab lunch with your dessert….Applebee’s will be serving up roast beef or freshly grilled chicken sandwiches and chips on the side for just $5! Stop by the Ricker’s pop trailer and grab a soft drink for just $1. Thanks to our generous partners, all the proceeds from this event will help us provide shelter, life skills classes and support for women and kids who are homeless due to financial hardships or abuse. What a great motivation to ‘Eat in the Street’ on Thursday, October 7!

We’ll have plenty of booths to stop by including Adrian Orchards, Two Men and a Truck, Indiana Pacers Fan Van and more. Live music will be provided by Band Wagon. And don’t forget that coat for Coats for Kids – we’ll give you a FREE apple cobbler as your sweet reward!

We still have booth space available for just $50 or join us as a participating sponsor at our table displays for just $75. Call Kristen at 224-1019 to join us! And to learn more about how you can help us Bite Back, go to HomelessnessBites.org.

Anyway, the Ricker family is a faithful supporter of The Salvation Army, most recently providing the soft drinks for our Eat Outside the Box event back in May. Ricker’s is a community-focused, family-owned business that’s stepping up and helping us spread the word about our programs that help homeless and abused women and kids make a fresh start.

Apple Fest is just one month away! So, mark your calendar now to join us on Monument Circle on Thursday, October 7 from 10am-3pm. Applebee’s is donating freshly-grilled sandwiches, GFS Marketplace is donating warm apple cobbler, Adrian Orchards is bringing fresh-picked apples and we’re thrilled to share that  and soft drinks will be provided by Ricker’s Stores.

If you’d like to join us as a presenting or a booth sponsor, just give Kristen a call at 224-1019. Sponsorships start at just $50 and we’re expecting over 1,000 people to attend this year’s Apple Fest. Look for our Apple Fest ad in the next Reach Magazine and listen for our promotions starting soon on the Emmis family of stations – WIBC 93, B105, Hank 97 and ESPN 1070.

So, mark your calendar now to join us for Apple Fest on Monument Circle on Thursday, October 7 from 10am-3pm. Applebee’s is donating freshly-grilled sandwiches and chips so all proceeds from lunch will benefit programs for homeless and abused women and children. And bring a few extra bucks for some apples, because they’re seriously good!

Got a business or organization you’re looking to promote – how ’bout a booth at Apple Fest? Just $50 to reach about 1,000 lunchgoers with your message. Call Kristen at 224-1019 to learn more.