Thanks so much to all of our hourly and in-kind sponsors – to Emmis Communications and the amazing men and women who produced the -athon, the programmers, the personalities, just everyone who’s made it easy to call Emmis’ lobby home for the past 55 hours. We would not be able to do what we’ve done without their dedication and enthusiasm.

And here are the teary thanks, so buckle up – Thanks to our Radiothon Chair, Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers. You set the tone for giving before the event went on the air! Thanks to Walmart for that incredible demonstration of support! Not only did your $100,000 bump that total, but it went a LONG way in encouraging our listeners to step up and make the calls. Thanks to our Phone Bank sponsor, ValPak and REACH magazine for your generosity and the manpower to keep those calls a’comin. And we can’t forget the folks at Markey’s Rental and Staging for the donation of our big screens – the tote boards are so vital in communicating with our phone bank and with the studio.

On behalf of all of the men, women and children we serve, THANK YOU for your support! This weekend, you’ve truly made a difference right here in Indiana!

Dunkin' Donuts' Adam and Kristie bring breakfast and Vinatieri items for our first prize package.

The 2009 WIBC Radiothon is in full swing down here at the Emmis Communations building on Monument Circle. Big Joe Staysniak and Terri Stacy are wrapping up their show and we’re just about to draw the first prize package winner of the day. Thanks to our friends at Dunkin’ Donuts for not only feeding our volunteers breakfast, but also for donating the signed Adam Vinatieri hat and jersey for our Colts Fan Pack. Add in the two tickets to Sunday’s Colts game from The American Legion and you’ve got a package worth making that call to donate early!

So far, our total stands at $5,580 – not bad for a cold, December morning. But we need your help. Our goal this weekend is to raise $225,000 for our neighbors in need. We’re off to a great start. Don’t forget to check out our prize packages. There’s some great stuff out there – everything from Pacers tickets to Gerdt Furniture recliners to a couple of overnight stays downtown. Something for everyone! Oh, and don’t forget to check out our sponsor page. We have some generous business partners who’ve sponsored hours with matching funds as well as in-kind donations for those prize packages.

Don’t worry – you haven’t missed your chance to join us. To make your donation for men, women and children and need, go here or give us a call at 1-877-71-PEACE.

Not familiar with Radiothon? It’s a 55-hour marathon of giving hosted on WIBC 93.1fm this December 11-13. WIBC’s on-air personalities donate their programming time to invite us in and let our partners and staff and volunteers tell how we’re reaching out to our fellow Hoosiers in need throughout the year.

This event is vital to our fundraising efforts for the entire year. With about 84 cents of every donated dollar going directly to life-changing programs in our communities, these 3 days go a long way! Sponsorship and pledge dollars help us provide shelter for the homeless, refuge for women and children fleeing domestic violence, after-school and summer opportunities for metro Indy children, support for families after natural disasters and assistance for families struggling to provide the basics after job loss.

We’d like to thank our 2009 Radiothon Chair, Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers for their help with Radithon this year. And thanks to our sponsors who’ve already joined us - ValPak and REACH magazine for signing on as our phone bank sponsor, Markey’s Audio Visual for providing our big screens, Dunkin’ Donuts, Planned Investments, Klipsch, Royal Spa, EMS, am/pm convenience stores, Windsor Jewelers, Gas America, the Northwest Kiwanis, Dellen Automotive, Applied Intelligence, The Mutual Fund Store, Indy Moms Like Me, Firestone and Walmart.

We’re still looking for businesses to step up and sponsor an hour during this event. Sponsorships start as low as $500 and can be paid into 2009 with advertising or community budgets. We’re also in need of businesses to donate items for prize packages that encourage callers to phone in and pledge their support.

If you’re interested in teaming up with us for this event, please give Kristen a call at 224-1019 or visit WIBCRadiothon.org to learn more.

 If you’re in downtown Indy this afternoon, you’ll notice it sounds a lot more like Christmas. Today is Celebrity Bell Ringing Day in front of Emmis studios on Monument Circle. Some of our more recognizable friends are giving an hour or more of their time today to ring bells and collect some of the first donations of the season.

So far today, we’ve had the priviledge of ringing with some of the lovely Colts cheerleaders, WISH TV-8 personalities, our WIBC Radiothon Chair (and Pacers’ own) Quinn Buckner, Darth Vadar, Boomer, Trucky and Big-E-Foot. We’ve also had some fun previewing tomorrow’s Turkey Bowling event with GFS Marketplace.

Speaking of turkey bowling, if you’re out and about on the west side tomorrow, stop by the GFS Marketplace on Rockville Road for their Thanksgiving sampling day and Turkey Bowling. We’ll be there and we hope you’ll join us in packing the pantries at our community centers.

That’s really what we had at the end of the event, $220,000!!!! (and we were excited when Advisory Board member Don Steel and our own Development Director Jeff Stanger announced that we passed the $217,000 mark.) And that doesn’t factor in online donations and kettle counts still to report, so we’ll be sure to post the official count when we have it. I just don’t know how to express how thankful we are to all of you who gave, and gave and gave (check out the photos here)! A simple “thanks” doesn’t seem like enough to cover the generosity, but it’ll have to do. If you pledged a donation, donated a prize, fed our volunteers, sponsored an hour, answered a phone rang a bell outside or sent a prayer our way – THANK YOU!

Specifically -

First, to our friends at Emmis Communications and WIBC 93.1fm – We truly could not have a Radiothon without WIBC. The on-air time you donate is only the most noticable of your contribution. Thanks for the planning, the programming, the individual hours and the passion you all have for those we serve. We APPRECIATE you!

Thanks to Quinn Buckner and the Indiana Pacers – It was our sincere pleasure to work with Quinn Buckner as our 2008 Radiothon Chair. He is a gracioius and humble man who made the time in his busy schedule to meet with us, take the photos, make the arrangments, record the liners, call in to the event. Bet he didn’t know what he was getting into when he said yes! Kevin Messenger – you made it happen. Your follow up and attention to detail was so appreciated. Thanks to Jim Morris and the Pacers for the gift cards, tickets and so much more!

Thank you to our hourly sponsors – You are the foundation of this event. You lay the groundwork with your contributions and your example encourages others to follow with their contributions. Thank you to Reach USA/ValPak, Barth Electric, Deloitte & Touche, Perkins Nichols Media, Hoosier Trust Company, Walmart, Zink Distributing, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Marathon Oil, Northwest Indiana Kiwanis, MacAllister Machinery, Queso Blanco Mexican Restaurant, Hoosier Glass, The Mutual Fund Store, Planned Investment, Firestone, RAM Tool & Supply, Batteries PLUS, Dellen Automotive and The UPS Store.

Thanks to our in-kind sponsors who donated the incentives and prizes to thank callers for their contributions. Your items built excitement and kept those calls coming! Thanks to the Indiana Pacers, Royal Spa, Gerdt Furniture, the Indianapolis Colts, Palamino, Weber Grill, EMS, Harry & Izzy’s, Yellow Rose Carriage, The Canterbury, Windsor Jewelers, Comedy Sportz, Rock Bottom….there’s so many of you! Go to WIBCRadiothon.org to see them all.

To our volunteers and staff – Thank you SO much for giving one of the most valuable commodities there is….your TIME! For those of you who answered phones, who rang the bells on the Circle, who refilled coffee pots and emptied trash…we COULD NOT have an event of this magnitude without you!

So many people will find the help they need through The Salvation Army because you took the time to support this event. THANK YOU!!!!!

Once inside, fans would find a flyer inside the game programs encouraging them to check out the WIBC Radiothon website to give to support programs for homeless women and children, at-risk kids and disaster services.

Thanks to our Radiothon Chair, Quinn Bucker and to Kevin Messenger for coordinating the event with us. Thanks to the Conseco Fieldhouse greeters team for putting all 3,000 of those flyers in the programs and helping us spread the word on behalf of those in need this season. And thanks to the entire team at Conseco Fieldhouse for hosting our group. Go Pacers!

And, of course, if you’d like to find out more or partner with us for our WIBC Radiothon this December 12-14, please visit our site at WIBCRadiothon.org or give me (Kristen) a call at 224-1019.

Through the Tree of Lights campaign and the generous support of Hoosiers, over 27 thousand people receive assistance from the Salvation Army last year. The goal this year is to raise 2.75 million dollars to once again help the thousands who are homeless, fleeing domestic abuse, overcoming addictions, or trying to get back on their feet after loosing everything in this summer’s flooding.

The lighting of our tree, the symbol of the Tree of Lights campaign, was once again made possible by a generous gift from Walmart.  Jason Wetzel, Senior Public Affairs Manager,  shared that the partnership between the Salvation Army and Walmart is the longest running Walmart partnership in the country.  Last year, more than a quarter of the money raised in Salvation Army Red Kettles was collected in front of Walmart stores.

Halvorson shared that last year the campaign raised enough to give toys to over 700 families through the annual WISHTree/AngelTree program and helped more than 1,200 people overcome their addictions. The He went on to urge everyone to “give what you can to help the Salvation Army during this holiday season.”

Halvorson also officially announced basketball legend and Pacers’ VP of Communications, Quinn Buckner will serve as this year’s WIBC Radiothon Chair. The three-day live fundraising event on 93.1 fm will go on the air December 12-14. Buckner introduced WIBC radio personalities Terri Stacy and Big Joe Staysniack as well. “It comes from our hearts when we do the Radiothon,” said Terri, encouraging the community to once again make the call and support the programs that provide shelter, programs for at-risk children and emergency disaster services. (To learn more about the WIBC Radiothon, or to become a partner visit WIBCRadiothon.org or call Kristen at 224-1019.)

Thanks to Dunkin’ Donuts for providing hot coffee and muchkins for all in attendance. And to the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary for donating the first contribution of the campaign. Thanks to all those in attendance and to all of you who support our mission to continue “Doing the Most Good” for those who need it most.