Springfield area residents again opened their wallets to help with the care of sick children.
A record-breaking $109,000 was raised this year by WTAX’s sister stations WDBR 103.7 and 101.9 The Wolf during their 26-hour “Care for Kids Radiothon” last week. The annual event has raised nearly $860,000 since 2006 with proceeds going to St. John’s Children’s Hospital.
Dave Newton, project coordinator for the hospital, says he isn’t surprised by the generosity, especially from the families of children who have faced life-threatening illnesses.
“When it comes to this children’s hospital, and many don’t think about it, but they are incredibly fortunate it is here,” says Newton. “Otherwise, families would have to travel to Chicago or St. Louis.”
Newton says many of the volunteers who manned the phone banks were parents of some of those kids. More than 50,000 children are treated at the children’s hospital each year.