‘Change Heroes’ Needed for Baystate Children’s Hospital Radiothon
SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Children’s Hospital and 94.7 WMAS are looking for ‘Change Heroes’ to help kick off fund-raising efforts in advance of this year’s 14th annual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon, which will be broadcast live from the Children’s Hospital Play Deck on March 5-7.
Change Heroes — individuals, families, schools, businesses, or community groups — can raise funds in two ways: collecting spare coins and dollar bills or checks from others to be placed in their official Change Hero bank, or creating an online virtual bank and soliciting credit-card donations through a personal or team fund-raising page. Registration details are available at www.baystatehealth.org/radiothon.
Individual Change Heroes who raise $100 will have their name placed into a drawing to win a prize. In addition, Pioneer Valley Credit Union (PVCU) is again hosting the Change Hero School Challenge, where the top-fund-raising Western Mass. school will win $1,000 for supplies from PVCU and a special celebration with the 94.7 WMAS Kellogg Krew. To qualify, individual and school Change Heroes must have all online fund-raising received by noon on March 31, and also submit any collected offline funds (if applicable) by March 31 to the Change Heroes Program, Baystate Health Foundation, 280 Chestnut St., 6th Floor, Springfield, MA 01199.
New this year, the Springfield Falcons have partnered with the Change Hero program and will host a game supporting Baystate Children’s Hospital on Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Fans are invited to bring a donation of $5 or more to the game and drop it off at the Pioneer Valley Credit Union coin-machine station located on the MassMutual Center concourse. Those who drop off a donation greater than $5 will receive one ticket courtesy of Pioneer Valley Credit Union to the following week’s game against the Albany Devils.
Dollars raised through the Change Heroes program set the pace for fund-raising during the actual 94.7 WMAS Radiothon on March 5-7. WMAS has been a longtime supporter of Baystate Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
“The community is fortunate to have a one-of-a-kind resource such as Baystate Children’s Hospital close to home when a child needs medical care,” said Craig Swimm, general manager of WMAS Radio. “Our own employees’ families have benefited from the expert care provided at Baystate Children’s Hospital, and your support through the Radiothon will help ensure that the thousands of children and their families treated there will receive the best pediatric care in Western Massachusetts.”
The presenting sponsor for this year’s Radiothon is Health New England. The Change Hero program sponsor is Pioneer Valley Credit Union. For more information on the Radiothon, visit www.baystatehealth.org/radiothon or call (413) 794-1486.
