Open your heart - open your wallet!

There are many many great causes to support in the City of Edmonton - and the citizens of our city are "special" to say the least because they continue to donate either their hard earned cash OR their time to make somebody elses life better year after year and cause after cause.



In the past three years of my 'semi-retirement' I was fortunate enough to have worked for Astral Radio on their Radiothon team. Eighty three radio stations participated in a coast to coast Radiothon that raised close to a staggering $22 million dollars for various children's hospitals and charities across Canada.

And this past year Newcap's Capital FM invited me to help co-ordinate their Make a Wish Northern Alberta Radiothon held in and around their offices in the West Edmonton Mall for which I gladly accepted.



These Radiothons take a great deal of hard work for many people and usually takes about six months of pre planning culiminated in a day that can only be described as of "hurricane" proportions when the stations announcers kick it off and the phones begin to ring.



Make a Wish personnel, lead by Cathy Gabucci and her able assistant Amber Benders and I met with Newcap Edmontons Program Director John Roberts, and GSM Kelly Walter and designed sales packages for their clients to participate in - and to help us spread the good word on the cause.

Some of the stations clients participated by holding special deals for their customers as well graciously donating the profits to Make a Wish which really helps boost our total as well.



Throughout the past three months we've been bringing Wish Families 'in' to the radio station to be interviewed. During these chats we hear highly touching and compelling stories. We hear joy and laughter from the families. We hear hope and good will from the Doctors - Nurses and staff who participate in one way or another in the cause. We hear how important the granting of a wish could be to each child and as they chronicle their adventures during the Wish a great deal of pride is felt by all of us.



But mostly during a Radiothon - it's about the Announcers.

These men and women can tell you how 'tough' a day it is for them. It's far different from playing music on a day to day level to looking directly into the eyes of a parent describing their child's pain in dealing with life threatening health conditions.

Throughout the day these announcers will do their absolute best to help in both raising money for the cause but also in making people 'aware' of the Make a Wish Foundation because I can assure you that 'sometime' in your life a friend, a family member, or a work associate will need the services of this great operation.

Behind the scenes - the people who answer the phones; the station engineers; the Make a Wish staff - 'volunteer' phone assistance all work together to make these successful days.

So from all of us - my Family; Newcap Radio; our supporting sponsors; and Make a Wish a big THANK YOU is in order.