B104 Program Director & afternoon host Dan Westhoff thanks radio listeners for supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. (Photo by Beth Whisman/WJBC) 

By Beth Whisman

BLOOMINGOTN - More Central Illinois residents pledged to become "Partners in Hope" with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital this year compared to 2012.

Sister stations B104, WJBC and WBNQ teamed up this year to recruit 233 partners to donate at least $20 each month, compared to 223 last year. B104 Program Director Dan Westhoff announced the final total just before 7 p.m. Friday at $78,540. (video posted below)

However after Dan's live on-air announcement, more donations rolled in to bring the final total to $79,364. That's $637 more in donatoins than 2012, and the amount is expected to increase over the weekend as more online donations are processed.

B104 has been airing its St. Jude Radiothon for five years, focusing on local families who have benefited from the charitable hospital and research center in Memphis, Tenn. There is also a St. Jude Midwest Affiliate in Peoria at the Children's Hospital of Illinois. WJBC joined in with full participation in 2012 and WBNQ joined the two-day production this year.

You can read local St. Jude patient stories and still donate on-line through Sunday. Family Heritage and Frontier Communications were the title sponsors this year with many local businesses offering donor incentives and support for the radiothon.
 

Beth Whisman can be reached at whisman@wjbc.com.