ESTEVAN -
The St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation received a big boost in its fundraising efforts to bring an MRI scanner to Estevan's hospital, thanks to the annual Radiothon for Life.
The 13th annual event, which ran from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on June 5, finished with an off-air total of $185,683.81 – the best total ever for the event. St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation executive director Lori Gervais said donations continued to come in after the event's completion, with one person bringing in a donation of $1,000 just before the interview with the Mercury. An estimated $190,000 has been raised through the Radiothon.
The final total exceeded her expectations. She doesn't set a goal for the fundraiser, and the off-air amount has varied over the years.
"This year, being the MRI, it affects everyone, and it definitely is something that the community wholeheartedly can get behind, because I think everybody has either a personal story about needing or having an MRI, or has somebody very close to them," said Gervais.
Gervais said the Radiothon is always a wonderful day and the foundation is overwhelmed with everybody's support.
"That's not just the money coming in, that's all the support of everyone in the background and everything it takes to hold the radiothon," said Gervais.
The event was slated to take place outdoors, but it had to be shifted inside due to the strong winds that plowed through the Estevan area and necessitated a wind warning on June 5. Gervais thought it would have been difficult to issue receipts and accept cash donations.
"For years, the radiothon was held indoors, and then COVID changed all of our lives … and we decided to move outdoors, which was a great thing to make the day more interactive," said Gervais.
The event aired on Golden West Broadcasting's three Estevan radio stations: CJ 1150, Sun 102.3 FM and Country 106.1 FM. There were testimonials from people throughout the day who shared why they believe the southeast needs an MRI.
"There were people with $10,000 and $15,000 donations, $5,000 donations, and there was a lot of people out there who gave us $1,000 that was not easy for them to do, but they're doing it," said Gervais.
Most of the activities were in the hospital's foyer, where people made donations and purchased merchandise, and in Tom and Irma's Café. There was some activity outside, near the cafeteria, as the Southern Plains Co-op served a barbecued lunch and supper, and bouncy castles were set up. Mascots were on hand in the afternoon.
Power hours were held throughout the day. They were sponsored by local businesses that support the foundation.
The biggest donation, a $50,000 contribution from the RM of Browning, came in just before 3 p.m. and pushed the Radiothon over the $100,000 mark.
Gervais said she does her best to keep track of the donations coming in throughout the day, but she isn't certain how much has been raised until the money is tabulated.
Gervais lauded the hospital staff for their support and volunteers who were part of the event. She was glad people took the time to share their stories. And while the dollar amount was important, Gervais said it was also important to have the stories of why the event was happening.
"There were a lot of stories … people talked about their health care and what they've been through and why the need is so important. I think that because the MRI is so important to people, we saw almost a $200,000 fundraising effort in one day."
Those who wish to donate to the MRI campaign can visit sjhf.org. The success of the fundraiser has pushed the overall campaign total above $3.3 million, more than halfway towards the goal of $6.5 million. The total includes the $2 million from Elaine Walkom, in memory of her late husband Grant, which kick-started the drive to bring an MRI to the southeast.
