FAIRBURY, NE — St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is getting a big check thanks to residents of southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas.
Ol’ Red 99-5 radio in Fairbury raised $65,271 for the hospital over its two-day St. Jude Radiothon. The radiothon is an annual fundraiser through the Country Cares program. Operations Manager Trevor Steinmeyer says this year’s donation amount shows the generosity of people the region.
“Your neighbors go to bat for people,” Steinmeyer said. “The midwest has always been about stepping up and helping people in need and that’s what you saw here today.”
The radiothon was slightly altered because of the pandemic. Donors called a 1-800 number instead of calling an in-house phone bank and the station’s St. Jude rep participated via Zoom.
Steinmeyer says the donation amount is especially impressive given the circumstances.
“($65,271) after a year of the pandemic and people are struggling right now and still reached into their checkbooks and wrote that check,” Steinmeyer said.
Listeners donated by becoming partners in hope, which is a $19 per month donation, or by dropping off money at the station. The donations go straight to St. Jude, a leading children’s hospital in Memphis, TN, that operates almost entirely off of donations and doesn’t charge patients.
Steinmeyer says St. Jude’s work is inspiring.
“They continue to do their part to do exactly what their motto says, they’re finding cures and saving lives,” Steinmeyer said. “That’s why we do it.”
Many Ol’ Red 99-5 staff members have visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through the Country Cares program.
