Heart Radiothon spins tunes to the beat of healthy hearts

By DAVID J. COEHRS

Enterprise Staff Writer

ARCHBOLD - One minute it can be rock 'n' roll, the next gospel, and following that could be rap. When phone lines open at WTMR FM -96.1 on Feb. 11, the joint will be jumping as listeners request songs from and for the heart.

The platters will spin from 6 a.m. until midnight to benefit the 36th Annual Fulton County Heart Radiothon, a uniquely Fulton County event spotlighting cardiac health for residents young and old. The Archbold radio station will devote 16 hours of programming to listeners, who can pledge donations to hear everything from beautiful ballads to their favorite teams' fight songs.

The event's sponsors hope the festivities will raise their anticipated goal of $33,850 to provide heart-related equipment to County fire departments and basic heart health testing and education to the public.

At this year's Radiothon, 37 guest disc jockeys will take to the air to serve up the music requests. Approximately 90 volunteers will contribute to the event, which will last until midnight.

"People look forward to the Radiothon every year," WMTR morning DJ Max Smith Jr. said. "Everybody that participates really enjoys the day."

Within the limits of decency, the disc jockeys will play anything requested, he said. "The sky's the limit. For five bucks or two bucks, there's no minimum."

He recalled memorable moments from years past, such as the local Elvis impersonator who performed with his band live in the studio.

"We have just great people in Fulton County who support this. They support it because it's legitimate and supports friends and neighbors. The money all goes to work right here," Smith said.

The donations will garner each of the county's fire departments about $750 to purchase heart-related equipment, as well as training supplies for CPR instruction. County EMS Director Rod Cheney said the funds are especially important now, since 15 of 24 Survival Link automated external defibrillators (AEDs) now in use by local police, fire and rescue units are outdated according to new standards set by the American Heart Association.

Current AED models can be programmed to meet AHA requirements, and have an extended battery life of four years.

Cheney hopes that, with the acquisition of new AEDs through Heart Radiothon funding, the older but still viable models can be dispersed to area grocery stores and high-traffic businesses. The county EMS would provide the employees with free instruction and CPR training.

The cost of replacing the older models is $16,000.

"The Heart Radiothon is critical to our success at the fire departments. And to be able to provide these AEDs ... to have them available to the public to use is critical," Cheney said. "It's really a collective effort between the Heart Radiothon and our office to keep these AEDs in working order and maintained."

Donations raised by the event have also gone toward placing the machines in all county sheriff's and police vehicles, and in schools. There are presently 111 AEDs in use in the county.

Heart Radiothon funds also go toward the Fulton County Teen Tickers Program created through the Fulton County Health Center in 2001. Budgeted at $6,000 annually to cover supplies, the program offers free cholesterol, blood pressure and blood glucose tests, as well as body mass index screenings, to high school freshmen and seniors.

The testing is important, since fully 60 percent of high school-aged students have been shown to have cholesterol or heart-related issues, said Sharon Morr, FCHC director of corporate and community health promotion.

"The early intervention we're having with the kids will make them aware," she said. "We hope to raise their awareness, and make them understand that at their age they can make a lot of changes."

The FCHC also conducts heart health screenings for residents at public libraries. And for almost 10 years it provided CPR training through its former Save A Life Saturday program.

"The idea behind Radiothon is trying to do proactive things, but also trying to get people to learn CPR," Morr said.

She said the hospital has partnered with the Heart Radiothon since its inception. Staff members get involved in raising money by holding pledge-fueled fitness class demonstrations at the Ruihley Park Pavilion in Archbold and from singing valentines by residents of Fulton Manor.

"It's very much a local event for heart-related projects. It's pretty unique," Morr said.