Radio Campaign Brings in Dollars
Left to right in the ladder truck bucket are DJ Jeff Hall,
radio station General Manager Chris Ackerman and Butte Firefighter
Scott Seccomb.
Butte, Montana (pop. 40,000) -- The Butte Silver-Bow Fire Department, covering a population of about 40,000 Montana residents, raised more than $40,000 in a four-month period to support the purchase of two Bullard Thermal Imagers.
Working with local tavern owners, the department conducted a variety of fundraisers to support the purchase. Two primary efforts included fundraising among civic groups and a three-day fundraising blitz with local KMBR & KAAR Radio. Captain Rick Ryan worked with Tavern Association President Natalie Kennelly to manage fundraising activities.
Disc jockey Dave Levin of KMBR & KAAR found out about the department’s project, and he offered support. For three days, from April 18 to 20, 2001, the stations did their broadcasts at the busiest intersection in town – from the bucket of a ladder truck.
Captain Ryan considers the fundraiser a huge success. “The DJs’ message was, ‘Come down here and get us out of this bucket!’ By 5 p.m. on Friday, we had raised $24,412 from people passing by and from businesses who sent their donations. We got to our goal way before we expected. The following Monday, we ordered our thermal imagers.”
Captain Ryan says that the snowy, cold weather helped their efforts with the radio fundraiser. “I was out helping gather donations when a guy came up to me in his car. He looked grouchy, so I thought he was going to yell at me for tying up traffic. Instead he pulled out a 50 dollar bill and said, ‘If it’s worth you being out here in this crap, it’s worth $50 to me."
The Butte Silver-Bow Fire Department wrapped up their project with the Fireman’s Ball held on April 21. More than 300 people attended this special event that was originally intended to help raise money for thermal imagers. The department received their two thermal imagers on May 20.
Funding Tip – The Butte Silver-Bow Fire Department made excellent use of the resources of local media to meet their fundraising goals. As part of your planning efforts, talk to members of the media about covering your activities, and even perhaps being involved in a hands-on way with your campaign.