OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Within 60 seconds of the radio hosts on 93.7 K-Country and Wind-FM 92.5 Ocala, 95.5 Gainesville announcing that the Bear-A-Thon had begun, the phone started ringing on Wednesday, February 7.
A caller made a $40 donation to fund a bear for a child undergoing cancer treatment at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital (Shands).
For the next 13 hours, people called, texted, donated online and hand-delivered donations to the Stop Children’s Cancer office in Gainesville and the North Central Florida Media (NCFM) office in Ocala.
Many who came in person to the NCFM office, which is home to the radio station studios, were from the North Central Florida business community.
LeeAnn Steiner dropped by on behalf of her husband, Kevin, who owns Perfect Deed Homes home builders. They responded to a challenge issued by Gulf Atlantic Bank. The bank donated the amount to fund 15 bears and the Steiners wanted to one-up their friends at the bank and donated $640.
On air with K-Country’s Big Red, Steiner issued her own challenge to all builders in the listening area. The Steiners’ reason for contributing to the cause was simple.
“Community,” said LeeAnn. “We personally have not been affected by childhood cancer. However, we are aware of its terrible presence. I pray that if tables were ever turned, we would be able to lean on my community. We just wanted to let these children and their loved ones know that we are there cheering them on!”
A few minutes later, Debbie Craig of Chet Craig Plumbing arrived at the radio studios with a check for $1,200. Like Steiner, she issued a challenge. Hers was to all plumbers in the area.
The Craigs have been donating to Bear-A-Thon for roughly 20 years. Over the years, they’ve donated in memory of a loved one lost to cancer or in honor of someone battling cancer.
“There’s just been too many. Too many to allow,” said Craig. “We need that seed money. We need that to go straight to where it needs to go.”
All money donated to Bear-A-Thon stays local to fund pediatric cancer research and provide the stuffed animals to comfort children undergoing cancer treatments at Shands.
For anyone who questions the impact a stuffed animal can have on a child facing an uncertain future, all you have to do is read a Facebook post by Tiffany Henke from Ocala.
Her son, Ayden, received a chemo duck in 2012 that was by his side for 27 surgeries.
“Without his duck, ‘Florence,’ Ayden would not have found the comfort he needed to make it at such a young age through the intense treatments and surgeries he faced,” posted Tiffany. “It’s simple tools like this duck that make a tough situation and help you find your inner smile along with the peace and the comfort of its warm hug.”
Tiffany’s post included a current photo of now 14-yearold Ayden holding his duck. “At times we never thought he would make it out of the hospital and today he continues to beat the odds and show cancer who’s boss,” wrote Tiffany. “Thank you, Florence, for being such a great friend.”
In Gainesville at the Stop Children’s Cancer office, students from the University of Florida’s Neuroscience Club volunteered to staff the phones as people called in to donate.
“The part that I like the most is just talking to the people. They are very nice,” said volunteer Emily Florez. “It’s a refreshing experience. I feel like this is one of these things that you think people are not doing and that people are not taking their time to do. It’s very reassuring and refreshing about humanity.”
The community generosity never ceases to amaze Christy Gibbons, the Executive Director for Stop Children’s Cancer. “It’s just amazing. The giving, and the kindness, and the stories, and the heart of people in this community that just give and give and give to help support children with cancer, help find cures for children with cancer, support research, make sure they have bears and chemo ducks,” said Gibbons.
Charitable momentum built throughout the day until the last call came in just three minutes before the phone lines closed with an individual donating $40 to sponsor a chemotherapy duck.
An online auction of concert experiences like tickets to the Country Music Awards Music Fest in Nashville contributed to the final total. The country music fan’s dream trip, which included round trip airfare and lodging, sold for $4,300 with all proceeds going to the fundraiser.
When all donations were tallied shortly after 7 p.m., the total came in at a whopping $125,916. That sets a new one-day record for the Bear-A-Thon which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
Howard and Laurel Freeman, co-founders of Stop Children’s Cancer, were present at NCFM when the total was revealed. Raising money to find cures for childhood cancer and improve treatments was their daughter Bonnie’s vision. Bonnie died in 1983 at age 12 after battling leukemia for more than two years.
“I spent most of my day bawling,” said Laurel Freeman. “Everybody gave from their heart.”
“I know Bonnie would be so proud of the way we have worked together as a team all these years – 25 years – what we have raised to help fight this dreaded disease. It’s just very heartwarming,” said Howard Freeman.
The 2024 total adds to the $1.6 million Bear-A-Thon has raised since the campaign began in 1999.
“Thank you everybody. Blessings to you,” said Laurel.
A sentiment all of us at North Central Florida Media echo.