61st annual Crusade tops $5.6 million!
Editorial gives kudos to 61st annual WHAS Crusade for Children
The following editorial and editorial cartoon (by Marc Murphy) appeared in the Tuesday, June 10 edition of the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Helping hands
3:42 p.m. EDT June 9, 2014
The 61st annual Crusade for Children concluded Sunday, with the organization raking in $5.6 million for special needs children, an impressive amount.
The local fire departments are known for typically collecting about 60 percent of the total contributions, and this year was no exception.
Pleasure Ridge Park was the top-grossing fire district, bringing in $286,435 on its own. But they weren’t the only big givers this year: Fern Creek and McMahan fire departments weren’t too far behind with $142,725 and $120,677 respectively. The Archdiocese of Louisville and Kosair Charities are among those that donated six-figure sums to the charity as well.
Many fire departments saw an increase in the amount of money they were able to bring in, relative to previous years — proof that donating to the Crusade is always something that remains a high priority to area citizens.
The Crusade is one of the events closest to the city’s heart. It cultivates the familial feeling among residents of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, as people gather to raise money for a worthy cause which has earned it the reputation as the most successful local telethon in the country. The inherent value of the work it does is seen throughout the city by so many. Nearly everyone has a story of how the Crusade has impacted them, someone around them or their community.
Well done, all.
Joyous Crusaders witness the grand total of the 61st annual WHAS Crusade for Children.
Just minutes after the final tally flashed on the toteboard about 7:00pm EDT, jubilant Crusaders gather to relish the moment in WHAS11 historic Studio H.
Fern Creek Fire Chief Mike Schmidt and others gather to see the final toteboard of $5,637,680 for the 61st Annual WHAS Crusade for Children as it concluded about 7:00pm EDT on Sunday, June 8, 2014.
Honor your pledge!
Mail your contribution to:
WHAS Crusade for Children
520 W. Chestnut St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Call: (502) 582-7706
Donate securely online by clicking here.
Top Five Kentucky Fire Departments
Pleasure Ridge Park Fire District $286,435
Fern Creek Fire Department $142,725
McMahan Fire Protection District $120,677
Highview Fire District $107,329
Zoneton Fire Protection District $78,917
Top Five Indiana Fire Departments
Lafayette Township Fire Department $93,052
Charlestown Fire Department $52,481
Clarksville Fire Department $41,163
Jeffersonville Fire Department $38,255
Sellersburg Fire Department $35,000
Top Five Organizations
Archdiocese of Louisville $297,000
Kosair Charities $250,000
LG&E KU PPL Companies $191,072
Louisville Triple Crown of Running $142,639
Norton Healthcare $138,722
61st annual WHAS Crusade for Children tops $5.6 million
On the weekend when California Chrome was the favorite to win horse racing’s first Triple Crown in 36 years, the people of Kentucky and Indiana put their money on a sure bet, the 61st annual WHAS Crusade for Children. The final tote board tallied $5,637,680 as America’s most successful local telethon came to a close.
The 30-hour Internet/radio/telethon kicked off with a stirring variety show headlined by country singer J D Shelburne and hosted by WHAS11’s Melissa Swan and 84WHAS radio’s Terry Meiners Saturday June 7. It all ended with Crusade volunteers crowding into WHAS-TV’s historic studio H singing the traditional “God Bless America” just before 7:00pm (EDT) Sunday June 8, 2014.
“We’re thrilled that the wonderful people of Kentuckiana stepped up once again to help children with special needs in our community by contributing so generously to the 61st annual WHAS Crusade for children! It’s an annual miracle,” said WHAS Crusade for Children President & CEO Dawn Lee.
100 percent of $160 million = $160 million
In its first 61 years, the Crusade has raised $160 million for children with special needs. 100 percent of all donations raised Crusade weekend are returned in the form of grants to agencies, schools and hospitals that make life better for children with special needs.
It takes a cast of thousands to stage the annual miracle. From individual donors dropping pocket change into boots at firefighter road blocks to children with lemonade stands to corporations offering payroll deduction, it all comes together each year on the first weekend in June.
The leaders
Nearly 60 percent of donations are collected by about 200 fire departments in Kentucky and Indiana.
Like last year, the fire department leading the way was Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) Fire District with $286,435. PRP was the one that started fire department involvement with the Crusade in1956 when Chief Ernie Bohler brought $400 on the Memorial Auditorium stage in Louisville and challenged all fire departments to get involved.
Also repeating from last year, the Archdiocese of Louisville led all non-fire organizations with a total of $297,000 in contributions. That’s a Crusade record for the Archdiocese.
So many to thank
The annual Crusade Internet/radio/telethon kicked off at 1:00pm (EDT) on Saturday, June 7 and aired in its entirety on WHAS Radio (AM 840), WHAS-TV (Channel 11.1) and worldwide on WHAS11.com.
In addition, ION21 WBNA-TV in Louisville aired live broadcasts 12:30pm to 6:30pm Sunday, June 8 from the Kentucky cities of Elizabethtown, Shelbyville and Bardstown. WBKO-TV in Bowling Green aired remote telecasts from Campbellsville and Rough River State Resort Park on both Saturday and Sunday.
As the Crusade for Children’s flagship television station for 61 years, WHAS11 carried the entire broadcast. Portions also aired on a Kentucky statewide network.
Television Network
WHAS-TV, Louisville (flagship station)
WBNA-TV, Louisville
WBKO-TV, Bowling Green
The Crusade for Children’s flagship radio station for 61 years, 84WHAS carried the broadcast continuously. In addition, the Commonwealth Broadcasting radio stations listed below aired the Crusade variety show Saturday, June 7 from 8:00 to 10:00pm (EDT):
Radio Network
WHAS, Louisville (flagship station)
WTCO, Campbellsville
WLBN, Lebanon
WBRT, Bardstown
WIEL, Elizabethtown
WHHT, Bowling Green
WTTL, Madisonville
WPKY, Princeton
WHAS11.com provided LIVE video streaming of the entire broadcast visible anywhere in the world. WHASCrusade.org posted up-to-date information throughout the weekend.
Internet Network
WHAS11.com
WHASCrusade.org
To honor a pledge
Tax-deductible contributions can still be sent anytime:
WHAS Crusade for Children
520 W. Chestnut St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Donations can also be made securely online on www.WHASCrusade.org.
About the WHAS Crusade for Children
The WHAS Crusade for Children, established by WHAS-TV in 1954, raises money for schools, agencies and hospitals that make life better for children with special needs. In its first 61 years, the Crusade has raised $160 million. Thanks to generous contributions of goods and services, the Crusade returns 100% of all donations to organizations in all 120 Kentucky counties and more than 50 southern Indiana counties. Fire departments raise nearly 60 percent of the money each year by staging road blocks and other events.
Millions of children have been helped by the Crusade since 1954. The WHAS Crusade for Children, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity. Gifts are tax-deductible as permitted by law.
For more information, contact John Blim at (502) 582-7521.
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