Sunday, May 20, 2007

"Relay" on a Roll!

"WOW!" That's how American Cancer Society Regional Director Janet Reynolds described Patrick County's unbelievable contribution to this year's Relay for Life fundraising event, an annal offensive in the war on cancer. Boosted by a total of $17,240 (pledges and donations) during Friday's "12 Hours for a Cure" WHEO radio-thon, it appears that this year's "Relay" will raise an overall sum of more than $55,000. When the final figures are in, Patrick County's contribution to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life this year could approach $60,000, according to local Relay co-chairperson Betty Conner. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said to the community for the "team effort" that has apparently made this the most successful Relay for Life event in Patrick County's history. This year's unofficial Relay for Life total is about 6 times higher than last year's paltry total of about $9,000. Overall, we have about tripled this year's $18,000 Relay for Life goal. "Awesome" is how American Cancer Society Community Manager Robin Minter described our citizens. "I am thankful that God sent me to Patrick County," said Minter, commending county residents for their unfailing support of worthy causes.

The WHEO Relay for Life team "The Kilowatts for a Cure," which organized Friday's all day radio marathon in memory of my wife, "my Sweetie," Sandra Merritt Rogers, also extends heartfelt thanks to Patrick County for the overwhelming support you gave our efforts to raise funds to continue the search for a cancer cure and to provide local patient service and public education programs. Personally speaking, Friday will always be remembered as one of the highlights of my more than 30 year radio career, a long day (12 and a half hours on the air) filled with many touching and unforgettable moments that will always be treasured. Thanks for the memories, Patrick County!

I would like to thank the WHEO staff for its teamwork in helping me to organize and conduct the radio-thon. I believe that this effort united our radio staff as much as it did our community as a whole. I would also like to thank the many other individuals, businesses, musicians, and others in our community who were instrumental in making "12 Hours for a Cure" a success. On behalf of my family and Sandra's, I would also like to thank State Sen. Roscoe Reynolds and Patrick County School Superintendent Judy Lacks who presented a General Assembly resolution and a plaque, respectively, honoring Sandra's life and her distinguished 24-year career in the Patrick County Public School system.

It is imperative that we collect all of the tax deductible radio-thon pledges as soon as possible so that it can be put to use promptly to help fund the research required to find a cure for cancer. If you haven't done so, please bring or mail your donation to WHEO, 3824 Wayside Rd., Stuart, 24171, so that we can mark your name off the list as a "paid" contributor in the war on cancer. (Make checks payable to the American Cancer Society).

Friday's radio-thon not only raised $17,240 for cancer research and programs like "Road to Recovery" that provides free transportation to cancer patients who have no way to get to their treatments, but the radio fundraiser, it seems to me, help to bring us together as a community. As we united together in working toward a common cause, we put aside our personal problems, worries, concerns, and differences, and worked together to achieve a commendable goal. The results were astounding! Find satisfaction and take great pride in the fact that our collective involvement in this great cause has brought us nearer to a cancer-free tomorrow and much closer as a community! I am so proud of you all, fellow Patrick Countians, and I am honored to live here in your midst in this special place that we adore as home. In the aftermath of this most successful radio-thon, I can truly say that we have demonstrated once again that Patrick County's people are the most caring and compassionate folks in the world. Patrick Countians always come together to meet the needs of others, especially those who are less fortunate. God has blessed our community. Let's all take pride in who we are and the principals and vaules for which we all stand, together!

With great pride in and love for our community,
Richard T. Rogers, WHEO Radio

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Relay Radio-thon Coming This Week!

WHEO Radio will broadcast “12 Hours for a Cure,” a daylong radio-thon to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life for Patrick County, this Friday, May 18th from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The sunrise to sunset radio fundraiser will be presented by the WHEO Relay for Life team, “The Kilowatts for a Cure in Memory of Sandra Rogers.” The WHEO team is among approximately 25 teams that are conducting individual fundraising events in the community preparing for the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life Walk in Patrick County on the day after the radio-thon, Saturday, May 19th from 3 to 11 p.m. at DeHart Park in Stuart.

During its Friday, May 18th “12 Hours for a Cure” broadcast, WHEO will interview cancer survivors, provide cancer prevention and education information, present live entertainment by local musicians and singers, and seek public donations or pledges of financial support to aid in the fight against cancer. All funds raised during the radio-thon will be used for cancer research which is essential in order to find a cure and for local cancer patient services and educational programs. Telephone operators will be on duty at WHEO on the day of the radio-thon to accommodate callers who want to make tax deductible contributions to the Patrick County Relay for Life 2007 fund. Please call 694-3388 or 694-2138 in order to pledge your financial support of this worthy cause. Donations may also be delivered to the WHEO business office or mailed to WHEO Radio, 3824 Wayside Rd., Stuart, VA 24171. Checks should be made payable to the American Cancer Society.

In connection with the radio-thon, WHEO will hold Open House on Fri., May 18th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is invited to visit the radio station to show your support for our community-wide effort to fight cancer. Free refreshments will be provided by WHEO in cooperation with supportive business in the community. A parking attendant will be on duty at the radio station to promote public safety and convenience. If limited parking at the radio station becomes an issue, WHEO will broadcast an announcement asking visitors to park at the nearby Wayside Community Church and will provide a continuous shuttle service to and from the radio station throughout the day. WHEO would like to thank Rev. Bernard Handy and the congregation of Wayside Community Church for allowing the potential use of their parking facilities and Pete Foley of Foley’s Autoville for providing a 7-passenger van for use if the shuttle service becomes necessary.

The radio station is also grateful to the more than 40 musicians and singers who, as either solo artists or members of musical groups, will donate their time and talents to support our community’s war on cancer. Among the performers and special guests will be Vernon Harris, Denny Archer, Patty Hazelwood, Herbert and Tina Conner, Jim Shelor, Marcie Horne, Kelly and Ruth Ratcliff, Jackie Belcher, Waitman Wade and B & H Bluegrass Gospel, Rev. Terry Ragsdale and the Peter’s Creek Baptist Church Quartet, One Accord, the Spirit Seekers, Bill Banks, Clarence Hall, Marion Hall, Lloyd Burge, Tommy Nichols, Debbie Bennett, the Pleasant View Singers, Sue Nester, Charles Bowman, the Glory Road Singers, Amanda and Leigh-Ann Hall, Ronnie Hall, Denny Alley, Tommy Morse, Johnny Joyce, Donald Clifton, Derrick Clifton, and others.

In addition to the live entertainers, WHEO will welcome various local officials, community leaders, and dignitaries who are supporting our efforts to fight cancer and raise funds for a cure. Among the special guests will be State Senator Roscoe Reynolds who will make an on-the-air presentation at 11 a.m. Sen. Reynolds will present to members of her family a General Assembly resolution honoring the late Sandra Merritt Rogers, in whose memory WHEO’s Richard Rogers and fellow employees are dedicating their fundraising efforts. WHEO also urges other citizens of our community who have been personally affected by cancer to honor their loved ones or the memory of cancer victims by supporting the radio-thon and joining in the fight to stop the suffering that cancer causes. Please join in the fight against cancer as WHEO Radio (1270 AM) presents “12 Hours for a Cure,” a radio-thon for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in Patrick County, this Friday, May 18th from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thank you Patrick Countians for coming together as a community for this worthy cause.

Sunday, May 6, 2007

"12 Hours for a Cure," Coming Together for a Cause!

The battle against cancer will move triumphantly forward on Friday, May 18, 2007, when WHEO presents "12 Hours for a Cure," a sunrise to sunset (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) radio fundraiser for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. The radio-thon will be sponsored by the WHEO Relay for Life team, the Kilowatts for a Cure in Memory of Sandra Rogers. I would personally like to thank my fellow workers at WHEO for joining me in this effort to fight cancer in memory of my wife Sandra Merritt Rogers who died of cancer 9 months ago after a long and courageous battle against the disease. I urge you to get involved and to support our efforts in honor and memory of your loved ones who have been stricken with cancer. This disease, either directly or indirectly, affects us all, everyone in our close-knit community, and we all have a part to play in doing something positive in an effort to end the suffering.

As part of this 12-hour live radio broadcast, WHEO invites everyone in the community to visit our radio station on May 18th during our daylong WHEO Open House at our studios at 3824 Wayside Road, Stuart, VA. We sincerely invite YOU to join us as we all come together as a community to focus attention on this deadly disease and marshall our efforts to raise funds to find a cure and to provide educational programs and services for cancer patients, caregivers, and the general public here in our community. WHEO will suspend all of our normal office operations and radio programming to devote our full attention to the cause at hand, to greet our guests, and to accomodate those who wish to make monetary donations to aid cancer research and local cancer prevention and service programs. We anticipate a large crowd of workers, citizens, dignitaries, and musicians at the radio station that day so, in the event, that our limited parking facitities can not accomodate the public need, we will ask citizens in on-air announcements to park at the nearby Wayside Community Church and we will operate a continuous shuttle service to and from the radio station throughout the day. We will do our utmost to insure the safety and convenience of the public. Foley's Autoville has agreed to provide a 7-passenger van for use in the shuttle service, if needed. Free food will be available for the enjoyment of those who attend the WHEO Open House on May 18th. Cancer survivors and caregivers, who so desire, are especially welcomed to come and share your touching stories about how cancer has affected your lives. Here is a personal invitation to all citizens in our community and neighboring communities to come to visit our WHEO studios and enjoy our open house and the wonderful local entertainment that will be broadcast on the radio to show your support for our efforts to fight cancer in our community and, ultimately, to find a cure!

"12 Hours for a Cure" will feature live entertainment by more than 30 talented local entertainers who have agreed to donate their time and talents for this most worthy cause. Here is a tentive list of the performers who will play and sing during the radio-thon. This lineup is subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control. Thanks to these individuals and groups who have indicated a desire to perform live on the radio to support this major community fundraising effort: Vernon Harris, Denny Archer (of the Southern Prophets), Patty Hazelwood, Herbert & Tina Conner, Jim Shelor, Marcie Horne, Kelly and Ruth Ratcliff, the Spirit Seekers (Vernon and Linda Harris) and Faye and Larry Brannon), Jackie Belcher, Waitman Wade and B & H Bluegrass Gospel, Rev. Terry Ragsdale, pastor of Peter's Creek Baptist Church, One Accord, Bill Banks (of Joyful Noise), the Peter's Creek Baptist Church Quartet, Clarence Hall, Lloyd Burge, Marion Hall, Tommy Nichols, Debbie Bennett, the Pleasant View Singers, Sue Nester, Charles Bowman, the Glory Road Singers, Amanda and Leigh Ann Hall and their father Ronnie Hall, Denny Alley, Tommy Morse, and Down to Three (Johnny Joyce, Donald Clifton, and Derrick Clifton. WOW! What an awesome lineup! Please tune in to the radio and listen to these outstanding community-minded performers and come to our WHEO Open House if you can.

In additon to citizens from our community and our musician friends, we will be joined by State Senator Roscoe Reynolds who is scheduled to make a special presentation at 11 a.m. honoring the memory of "My Sweetie" Sandra Rogers. Various local officials and community leaders are also being invited to attend the open house.

Telephone operators (WHEO staff members and community volunteers) will be on duty during the radio-thon accepting your pledges and donations for the Patrick County Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society. Our telephone numbers will be (276) 694-3388 and 694-3114. A cashier will be on duty at the radio station to accept your contributions if you would like to deliver them during the open house. There will be personnel on duty to greet you, to assist you with parking, and to accomodate our musicians. Plans are in place. All we need now is for you to spread the word and to personally support this vitally important fund-rasing effort. Will you help us? You have never let us down. Thank you in advance Patrick County for your love, your compassion, and your generosity. Let's say "NO" to cancer on Friday, May 18, 2007! YES!!!

Saying "Yes" to a cure,
Richard