WRAL-TV, MIX and MediaThon Equal Food For Hungry Kids

Thirteen hours of television + thirteen hours at two Triangle collection sites = over $219,000 and 10,000 pounds of food to feed hungry kids. WRAL-TV viewers and MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM listeners blew the top out of the CBC stations’ joint MediaThon for the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s BackPack Buddies Program.

“I woke up feeling happy and thankful this morning,” said WRAL-TV Anchor Lynda Loveland the day after the big event. “MIX 101.5 has the BEST listeners and WRAL has the best viewers! They opened their hearts and doubled our goal raising nearly $220,000! When the red tally light came on at 7pm for our last special, the energy level tripled. The phones were ringing, volunteers were taking information and kids were cooking. The atmosphere was electric! It was an exciting, fantastic vibe! A big thanks to everyone who had a hand in the mediathon! Such an amazing day!

Loveland and her WRAL-TV colleagues spent the day in Studio A, making pleas for donations and explaining the mission of BackPack Buddies as well as working the phone banks. MIX 101.5 personalities collected donations, both food and monetary, at Park West Village in Morrisville and Food Lion on Six Fords in Raleigh, from 6am to 7pm. Several MIX staffers also spent time at the TV station, manning the phones. The big reveal took place at the end of the day.

WRAL-FM Morning Show Co-Host Julie Gates posted on Facebook during MediaThon: “Having a blast collecting food and $$$ for #BackPackBuddies today! It was fun to broadcast on both MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM and WRAL-TV for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle.”

WRAL-TV Director of Local Production Phyllis Parish coordinated the WRAL-TV portion of the event, a massive undertaking.

“What a day!” she said. “In 13 hours, WRAL-TV and MIX 101.5 raised $219,198 for Inter-Faith Food Shuttle and #BackPackBuddies!! Great teamwork today including our viewers, who are generous and caring…the best!!”

The MIX and IFFS staffers at the collection sites braved near-record heat indices for the event. WRAL-FM Promotions Director Jason Newton said:

Yes, it was a long hot day but those feeling instantly changed to goose bumps when seeing whole families showing up to make their donation. One particular person stood out to me as it was very late in the day, she just walked up wrote a $1,000 check, showed her appreciation to the team and turned around to walk away. I attempted to show our gratitude but she didn’t want any recognition, she just wanted to make sure it helped feed hungry children. I saw a lot of people wanting to give vs receive and that was all the motivation I needed to beat the heat.

Kind viewers and listeners fueled the energy of the CBC staffers.

WRAL-TV Producer Scott Reid reached out to WRAL-FM Asst Program Director/Music Director Jim Kelly after seeing him at a hot collection site.

“I was out at the Strickland Road remote this morning shooting some b-roll,” Reid told Kelly. “I heard you play the soundbite from the teacher (Kevin) at the Enloe food pantry. About ten minutes later a woman drove up and donated a bag of food and said that she had heard the story of the high-school kids who did not have food and felt compelled to do something. Kind of cool! If you ever wonder if we make a difference-there is your proof.”

Thanks to all the kind-hearted WRAL-TV viewers and WRAL-FM listeners for your contributions during the MediaThon for BackPack Buddies. You have helped fill the stomachs of hungry school kids in the Triangle!

SLIDESHOW: MIX 101.5 Collects Food and Donations During MediaThon for BackPack Buddies

SLIDESHOW: WRAL-TV Studio A Hosts MediaThon for BackPack Buddies

Thanks to WRAL-TV and MIX 101.5 for these capcom photos, including WRAL-TV’s Phyllis Parish, Pam White, Shelly Leslie, Renee Chou and WRAL-FM’s Julie Gates and Corp’s Pam Allen.