THUNDER BAY -- Dougall Media broadcasters are hoping to bring in even more money for the city's disaster relief fund.
The company's three local radio stations are hosting another marathon broadcast for the Thunder Bay and Area Disaster Relief Fund.
CKPR morning show hosts Danny Foresta and Laura Zaina kicked off the event at Intercity Shopping Centre Wednesday. The event will continue throughout the day before wrapping up at 6 p.m.
It’s the second fundraising campaign held by Dougall Media.
The first fundraising broadcast took place at Intercity Shopping Centre in May and brought more than $300,000 for the disaster relief fund.The disaster relief fund at the 11th hour of fundraising to meet its self-imposed Jan. 31 deadline.
Jacky Ward was one of the first to give at the fundraising event. Ward, who owns A-1 Sewage Services, donated $1,000 on behalf of the company.
“We were working in the east end the whole time last May,” Ward said. “We were helping people recover from the floods and we wanted to give back to all the people who lost everything. It is so important for people to donate because lots of people didn’t have the insurance they needed to cover their losses. Any little bit can help people get the Christmas decorations or new books that they lost.”
During the flooding disaster, Ward said they were working nearly 24 hours a day by bringing in portal toilets for residents and servicing the area as best they could. Ward said it was devastating to see all of the destruction.
She added that she believes that all the campaigns help to bring awareness that there is still a need in the community.
“We’re still helping out at the Atlantic Avenue Sewage Treatment Plant and once a month there seems to be something that needs to be done,” she said. “It was just a lot of devastation.”
Zaina said there’s still a lot of people who need to have their basements fixed. The province has agreed to match the dollars raised municipally on a two-for-one basis.
She said in order to get the best bang for the buck every dollar counts.
“A $1,000 will turn into $3,000, so the more money we raise today the more we can add to what they already raised and triple again,” she said.
“Like the first one Danny and I went in saying ‘$10,000 that’s insane.’ This time Danny and I both said ‘we’re not going to guess at any number’. Whatever number we raise will be amazing. Any bit helps.”
