A big Hispanic heart

Radiothon raises money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital

The tiny radio booth of La Zeta 95.7 FM in Springdale is used to holding three, maybe four, people maximum at a time. On April 28, 2013, though, at least two dozen people cram themselves in, eager to hear the amount the Spanish-speaking community has raised during the fourth Radiothon to benefit Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.

In 2010, donors raised $85,000. The amount increased to $95,000 in 2011 and to $156,000 in 2012.

Now, the officials from the hospital tallied up the dollars and cents, plus the amounts from folks pledging their monthly support.

Deejays, hospital officials and volunteers in the booth know the challenge was to continue surpassing the previous years’ goals. They start cheering, “Si se puede, si se puede” - “Yes we can” in Spanish - as La Zeta owner Eddie Vega takes the microphone.

The tension grows.

There is cautious optimism, because $156,000 was a LOT of money. Even the $85,000 was high to begin with.

A brief silence warns, “What if we raised much less?”

“Remember that this Radiothon is not ours,” Vega says to the radio audience. “It belongs to the entire Hispanic community. We are only the means for you to donate to the Arkansas hospital that does so much for our community.”

He takes out a piece of paper and makes the announcement.

“$255,154.”

The booth explodes with tears and cheers after this news, the culmination of fundraising for three hard days - April 26; April 27; and this Sunday, April 28.

A new cheer, “Si se pudo, si se pudo” - “Yes, we could.”

Hugo Garza, director of Hispanic programs for the children’s hospital, takes the microphone now.

“It is clear that the community of Northwest Arkansas is one with a big heart,” he says.

“The Hispanic community is really showing that we are here not only to improve ourlives in this country, but also to give,” says Vanessa Delgadillo, associate development official for the hospital. She is still clearing tears from her eyes.

She stresses that this year’s amount equals what six English-language radio stations have raised - combined.

The Radiothon started in 2010 when Vega was searching for a renowned medical foundation to which La Zeta listeners could contribute.

Coincidentally, officials from Arkansas Children’s Hospital called Vega with the same idea two weeks later. They flew in from Little Rock to meet with him in Northwest Arkansas, and they made the deal.

But Vega reiterates that the credit for the Radiothon’s success four years later is not due to La Zeta itself.

“Of course, someone has to come up and do everything, and we do organize, and we give all of our radio time without ads,” Vega says.

“But it’s the Hispanic community of Northwest Arkansas giving to the hospital, not the radio station.”

The Radiothon also includes efforts by listeners ofVega’s other Arkansas radio station, La Zeta 106.3 in Little Rock.

Vega is proud that his stations’ listeners are the ones in the state raising the most for Arkansas Children’s Hospital - including both English and Spanish radio outlets - and if they meet their goal this year, they will have raised $1 million in five tries.

Now in 2014, the Radiothon will continue with several of its tried and true formulas.

First, La Zeta will continue donating its radio airtime, with no ads, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Friday, May 16, until Sunday, May 18.

On-air deejays will emphasize the 1-800 number for “Miracle Makers” to pledge monthly support, and they will have testimonies frompeople whose children have gone through nightmarish experiences - ranging from burns to amputations - ameliorated by the Arkansas Children’s Hospital treatments made possible through the Radiothon.

Meanwhile, the other deejays will be on remote control in various local Hispanic businesses where volunteers will be asking customers for support.

Every bit helps, because the goal is to meet and/or surpass the $255,154, says Margarita Felix, the deejay known as “La Maga” and the volunteer coordinator.

“We have a very big challenge because we’re talking about a quarter of a million dollars,” Felix says. “Without the help of volunteers and those who are donating the money, we will not be able to reach it alone.”

The weekend will culminate May 18 with a kermes - a Latin American small town festival with food, dance, children’s games and more fundraising opportunities - at the Civic Center in Springdale.

“We’re making it a celebration because we don’t want this to only become a matter of asking but also of giving a little joy,” said Miguel Lopez, the deejay known as “El Travieso.” “More than anything, our intention is for this to become a tradition, that people don’t take it as a project where they say, ‘Ah, why do you keep asking and asking?’ but rather as a beautiful and harmonious event.”

FAST FACTS RadiothonFor: Arkansas Children’s Hospital When: May 16-18 Where: La Zeta 95.7 FM in Springdale Information: ezspanishmedia.

com

Northwest Profile, Pages 40 on 04/20/2014

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