RECAP: John DeBella’s Veterans Radiothon 2023
John DeBella’s Veterans Radiothon 2023 was an absolute success. We’d like to thank everyone for your support and generosity. Thanks to generous listener donations, as of the end of the…
John, Steve, and Lincoln reviewing totals with only three hours left in the radiothon.
Photo by Gina CosenzaJohn DeBella's Veterans Radiothon 2023 was an absolute success. We'd like to thank everyone for your support and generosity.
Thanks to generous listener donations, as of the end of the broadcast on June 16, 2023, the radiothon raised $219,494.20. That's over $19,000 over John's set goal! The final total as of Monday, June 19th, after a weekend of online donations came to $222,749.20!
All funds go to the Veterans Multi-Service Center in Philadelphia. Their mission is to provide services, programs, opportunities, and advancement to Veterans of the U.S. military and their families. The money we raised is going to such a noble cause.
You all made John's last radiothon before retirement an amazing experience. Your calls, donations, and support on social media meant the world to John DeBella and everyone at 102.9 WMGK. You are all the reason we love doing this so much.
Over the course of the day on June 16th, John DeBella's Veteran's Radiothon featured so many amazing guests, including veterans, other DJs, and John's celeb friends. It was truly a radiothon for the ages. And the weather did NOT get us down. Without a hitch, John and the team from the VMC moved upstairs into the call center. It was a feat!
It Started Outside...
Photo by Matt CordThe sky was blue bright and early in the morning! The set up was great.
All Smiles Before The Rain
Photo by Matt CordHere's Matt Cord and Steve Vassalotti just before the broadcast moved inside. Storm clouds were brewing...
Inside We Go!
Photo by Gina CosenzaWe made it inside within seconds of the rain's start. And boy, was it a downpour. If you were listening, you probably had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. It was seamless.
Donations Poured In
Photo by Gina CosenzaThis check was presented by IBEW 98. There were loads of smiling faces all around was big checks like these got brought out.
Justin Chase Stopped By
Photo by Gina CosenzaHe gave us a generous donation on behalf of Beasley Media Group.
ACME Made John Cry...
Photo by Gina CosenzaIt's gotta happen at least once a radiothon. ACME's extremely generous donation of thirty-thousand dollars helped pushed John closer to his goal. Oh...and it also pushed him to tears. Thank you ACME!
Listeners Dropped By
Photo by Gina CosenzaBeing inside didn't deter listeners from popping in to make donations and say hello. It was lovely to see everyone!
Matt Cord Was On The Phones
Photo by Gina CosenzaMatt helped out answering calls from 9a-2p. Here he is reading out some of the awesome donations we received.
Andre Helped Out Too
Photo by Gina CosenzaAndre Gardner took us through some more donations on the air.
It Was Go-Time...
Photo by Gina CosenzaWith just a few hours left, we saw some focused faces from John, Steve, and Lincoln from the VMC. They were reviewing totals and crunching numbers.
Real Vets
Photo by Gina CosenzaHolly, veteran and EMT-in-training came on the show to talk about how much the VMC has helped her. His sister made a generous donation shortly after.
Pierre Robert Came By
Photo by Gina CosenzaLegends support legends. In the final hour of the broadcast, Pierre Robert made a stop at the radiothon. He was coming from WMMR's Blood Drive and wanted to show support. His donation really helped push us over the edge.
The Final Total
Photo by Andre GardnerThis was the number Andre was handed to announce as the "final" total on the air. We are still accepting donations through this weekend!
Pure Joy
Photo by Joe BrooksThe moment John found out he had not only hit, but surpassed his $200,000 goal. He was elated.
Grateful
Photo by Joe BrooksHe did it. A relief. And a moment of total gratitude for everyone that made this day happen.
