East Coast Radio’s Taking Care of Tathra Radiothon, held over the weekend, raised a record-breaking $106,000 dollars for the Tathra Bushfire Mayoral Appeal Fund. In its 34th year, general manager of East Coast Radio, Jane Edwards, moved the Radiothon forward to help the stricken NSW South Coast town of Tathra, which was devastated by a fast-moving bushfire on Sunday, March 18. “With the help of an incredibly generous business community, we organised the Radiothon within three weeks. Businesses on the South Coast donated over 400 items including a one carat diamond valued at $7,500, which was subject to an exciting bidding war in the last hour of the Radiothon on Sunday afternoon,” Ms Edwards said.
Other notable hot items included bathroom fit-outs, furniture, white goods, electrical goods and lots of trade items. The Radiothon, which is usually held in November, was broadcast on East Coast Radio’s NSW South Coast flagship stations 2EC and PowerFM. Ms Edwards says there were many emotional moments for the community over the weekend including the $5000 personal donation from local farmer Chris Apps, on behalf of his family. Two years ago the Tathra community rallied together to help with the medical costs for Chris’s nephew Jason, who was left unable to walk after a skiing accident in Canada. “It was an incredible weekend and it shows once more just how powerful and important the voice of local radio is in bringing communities together. “I congratulate our dedicated staff, including anchors Kimmi Saker, Johnny C and Kim Bowden and the behind-the-scenes staff and volunteers who made the Radiothon such an enormous success, and of course a big thank you to all the bidders and businesses and our valued listeners,” Ms Edwards said.
