WRAL-TV’s Coats for Children Telethon Brings In $55,000 To Help Keep Triangle Children Warm

Volunteers take calls and accept pledges during the 19th annual Coats for Children Telethon on Dec 14th.

WRAL-TV’s generous viewers donated a total of $55,000 during the station’s 19th annual Coats for the Children telethon on Friday, December 14, 2007.   The contributions came in the form of pledges phoned in and online donations at WRAL.com.

Once again WRAL-TV has teamed up with the Salvation Army to provide winter clothing for local needy children.  All day long, volunteers took calls.  Two half-hour specials and cut-ins during all newscasts and throughout the day called attention to the fundraising drive.

WRAL-TV’s Bill Leslie sings a number from his Christmas album during the telethon.

WRAL-TV’s Pam Saulsby invites viewers to call in a pledge and keep children warm this winter.

“Although we’ve done this campaign for 19 years, the generosity of our loyal WRAL viewers was evident throughout the day with the continuous ringing of phones,” said WRAL-TV Community Relations Director Loretta Harper-Arnold.  “Our campaign total over the past 19 years is just shy of $1 million ($998,000) and I’m certain we’ll exceed the million dollar mark by the end of the campaign (Dec. 31st).”

WRAL-TV’s Coats for the Children Campaign will continue through the end of December.  New and gently used coats can be dropped off at the station and at various Jiffy Lube and Capital Bank locations in the WRAL viewing area.  For a list, click here.

Volunteers from a variety of Triangle organizations spend shifts on the phone bank.	WRAL-TV’s Bill Leslie (center) encourages volunteers as they wait for calls.
Leslie performs on a half-hour special.	Callers keep the phone lines busy.

Thanks to WRAL.com’s Nathan Clendenin for these capcom photos.