Radio Month raises over $1,000,000 for Health Care in Cape Breton
The Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation’s Radio Month took place throughout November, raising a grand total of $1,001,700.06 in support of health care in Cape Breton. This is only the third time in the 15-year history of Radio Day (Month) that $1 million has been reached.
The month-long initiative came into fruition after postponing the 15th annual Radio Day due to hurricane Fiona. The original date was set for October 6, when the Cape Breton Regional Municipality remained in a state of emergency.
“Radio Day is our largest fundraising event of the year,” says Paula MacNeil, the Foundation’s CEO. “The need to support the littlest Cape Breton patients, and their families, is too great to have cancelled. We are forever grateful for our community partners and the good people of Cape Breton, who were pivotal in supporting our transition to Radio Month and making it a resounding success. We certainly are stronger together.”
Stingray Media, which includes local stations Hot 101.9 and New Country 103.5, aided the Foundation in the transition by airing health care stories every day throughout November. The Foundation’s annual Radio Day Power Hour partners, MECO Construction DKI, Schwartz Furniture and Jim Sampson Motors, graciously kept their commitment to match all donations up to $10,000 each.
More than 400 individual donors and 76 community fundraisers supported the cause.
“As we were tallying our Radio Month total, we were just shy of the $1 million mark,” says MacNeil. “And in comes Craig Boudreau with a donation from New York Fries, which took us to this phenomenal milestone. Our team was incredibly excited.”
Other Radio Month initiatives included a small gathering to celebrate those who have fundraised all year in support of the Foundation and Radio Day, change collection at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital parking gates, and a celebration hosted by MECO Construction DKI.
The total raised throughout Radio Month will support various health care needs on the island, including the areas of mom, baby and pediatrics at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.
“It’s not lost on us that times have been hard in our community” says Paula MacNeil. “The need to support our friends, families and neighbours, right here at home, is greater than ever. To see the generosity and compassion of our Cape Breton community during such times is truly humbling.”
Proceeds from Radio Month will help to ease financial burden for Cape Breton patients during some of their scariest days, by funding items like prescriptions not covered through medical plans, travel costs to-and-from specialist appointments in Halifax or Toronto, newborn necessities such as car seats and diapers, parking passes for families with long hospital stays, and more.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED RADIO MONTH, BECAUSE YOU CARE!