A lasting legacy: Radiothon in tribute of late station founder raises funds for Dartmouth hospital
A small community radio station in Nova Scotia is playing a big part in a fundraiser for the Dartmouth General Hospital, despite the untimely death of the station’s founder.
At this year’s radiothon in support of the Dartmouth General Hospital, a special recognition is being given to Wayne Harrett, the founder of the local radio station who passed away this summer.
“We just finished a tribute hour to Wayne Harrett. This whole radiothon is really in memory of him,” said Stephen Harding, CEO of the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation.
The Dartmouth General was special to the Harrett family, as Wayne was a patient there for seven weeks before he died on Aug. 14 at the age of 60, after a long battle with cancer.
Despite his death, the fundraiser is continuing on Seaside FM, the radio station that began out of Harrett's Eastern Passage home in 2002.
“He talked about it in the summer and said how much he wanted to be a part of it this year but knew he wouldn’t be. So he’d be very happy to know it was going on and it’s working out well today,” says Wayne’s sister Cindy Harrett.
Last year, the radiothon raised just under $50,000- this year, they reached that amount by early afternoon.
“We are getting lots of phone calls in memory of Wayne. It’s been fantastic,” says Harding. “Everyone loves Wayne, and what a great tribute for him.”
Organizers say the radiothon is coming at a crucial time for the Hospital’s Foundation, as the COVID-19 pandemic has made fundraising initiatives difficult.
“In the last two years we’ve really had to change how we fundraise. We used to gather people for lobster dinners, golf tournaments. Those were completely cancelled for in-person events in 2020,” says Kiana Pace, marketing and communications officer for the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation. “We were able to bring back a modified version this year with some virtual and some in-person components.”
Local musicians are also contributing to the cause, such as Dave Carroll, who dropped by the radio station’s Eastern Passage studio for a live performance.
“These type of initiatives that get the word out and let people know what they can expect and the standard of care at the Dartmouth general is really high it’s something that I think is worth celebrating,” Carroll says.
The radiothon also celebrated Harrett’s love of radio.
After being told to give up his dreams of being on-air because of a speech impediment, Harrett started his own station from his Eastern Passage home.
Next year, 105.9 FM will celebrate its 20th anniversary, and the partnership with Dartmouth General will continue, just as Wayne would have wanted.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.