After two long days in Bracebridge, and one in Huntsville, 99.5 and 105.5 Moose FM’s holiday radiothons are done.
After being on the air for a total of 24 hours, $141,223.65 was raised for people in need in Bracebridge and Gravenhurst.
Meanwhile, $42,115 was raised for the Salvation Army in Huntsville.
“We’re right in on expectations,” says a beaming Major Neil Evenden with Salvation Army Huntsville. “The $40,000 was the goal that I wanted to reach. If we got there, [I’m] happy and excited and pleased with what we’ve done.”
Evenden says the money goes towards various and vital operational costs for both organizations.
“This allows us to purchase food, to run our infrastructure twice a week with, it pays salaries,” says Evenden. “It’s all sorts of things that we do, and it’s a very important part of our Christmas fundraising.”
“It feels incredible,” Captain Ian Robinson with the Salvation Army South Muskoka Ministries says.
Robinson says every year the community pulls together and raises what is needed. Robinson points out that while the radiothon is called the Kid’s Christmas Wish Radiothon, the money raised isn’t just used for the holiday season. “It’s used throughout the year,” he explains.
The money helps them be a “beacon of hope” for people in need.
“They know they can come to us for help,” Robinson says, adding the Salvation Army will never turn someone away.
Being that they take in people from many different walks of life, Robinson says if they aren’t able to help someone, they know the community so well that they will be able to find out who can.
“Especially during these uncertain times, you never know what’s going to happen,” he says.
Robinson says they go into every year not knowing how much will be raised, but knowing Bracebridge and Gravenhurst will have their backs.
Written by Martin Halek and Mathew Reisler