Radios are for more than listening to hip-hop and morning celebrity gossip on the morning commute-Duke Children's Hospital benefits annually from a charity radiothon held in partnership with local station MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM.
The 13th annual Radiothon for Duke Children's Hospital-which began Tuesday and will run until Thursday night-is being broadcast from a temporary studio set up in the lobby of the children's hospital.
Radio personalities Bill Jordan and Sheri Logan of the station's morning show crew will host the event from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, asking listeners for pledges, with dozens of volunteers manning the phones.
Last year's radiothon raised $931,000 in three days-an all-time high, said Kristen Johnson, director of special events and communications for the children's hospital.
"One hundred percent of the donated money goes to the hospital," said Brandon Alexander, promotion director for the radio station.
Contributions will be used to purchase specialized medical equipment, toys for the playroom and videos for patients. The money will also fund volunteer programs and research, Johnson said.
During the first 12 hours of the radiothon Tuesday, the online pledges exceeded the total amount raised two years ago, Johnson said, adding that incentives for pledging include memorabilia signed by men's basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
"$2,500 donors get to have dinner with Coach K and watch a closed practice session," she said.
MIX 101.5 held the first radiothon in 1995 to generate awareness for the hospital, Alexander said.
"The crew was on air for 101 hours originally, and the first year it raised $125,000," he added.
The radiothon offers listeners montages of interviews with patients and patients' families, which radiothon volunteers said they found touching.
"It makes me cry every year after hearing these heartwarming stories," volunteer Katie Farmer said.
Jordan called the radiothon a "humbling experience," noting the poignancy of stories told by families who had lost their children.
"Some stories are about survival, some are about courage, some are about incredible loss," he said, adding that he was glad to give back to the community by hosting the event.
"We spend the other 50 weeks of the year talking about celebrity gossip and stupid stuff," Jordan said. "These three days are about hearing about real life, whether miracles or losses."
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