The 10th annual radiothon from the Sheep River Health Trust and The Eagle 100.9 is coming up in June.

Over the course 12-hour broadcast, donations are collected for the Health Trust (SRHT), which then distributes the total among several local organizations for health and wellness projects.

Executive Director Andrea Mitchell is thrilled to have reached such a milestone.

“When we started it all those years ago as a simple fundraiser to support cancer care in High River, I don’t think any of us thought it would get to his. We’re really so thankful for the community every year to support radiothon. We’ve been able to donate over $500,000 to support health and wellness.”

They’ll be providing donation funding for nine projects in total this year, which Mitchell sees as a sign that many local groups are fully back into the swing of things.

“It’s a massive year for us, it’s one for the first years we’ve had so many ask in the community, so we're trying to raise $75,000 to fill lots of those asks. It’s a reflection of what’s happening in the community, I think. Lots of groups are out there back doing their regular work and are back at work and are looking for that support to continue in the community.”

Some organizations are ones who have received funding from a few previous radiothons, and some will be getting it for the first time.

Examples of the former organizations include It Takes a Village for their ‘Baby Home Safe’ program which helps provide car seats and cribs for those in need, the Okotoks Family Resource Centre for their ‘Volunteer Driver & Emergency Support Programs,’ and Inclusion Foothills’ ‘Go Gen Z’ program.

The Foothills Family Medical Centre will also be getting some support for two pieces of equipment.

“A Derm Desiccator. It’s to remove skin lesions. Currently, you’d have to go to emergency to have that done in the community, so that kind of takes the weight off of emergency,” says Mitchell. “Then a 24-hour Blood Pressure Monitor. Its not in the community right now so you’d have to go to Calgary. No one wants to do that, and blood pressure monitoring is pretty common for a lot of people.”

Mental health organizations receiving funding include Foothills Community Counselling and Helping Families Handle Cancer.

Mitchell is also excited to support organizations that will be receiving funding for the first time, like Orenda Society for their ‘Boys Move Your Mood Summit’ and Solace Grief Support.

The radiothon is scheduled for June 22 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Eagle 100.9 on Elizabeth Street and will include food trucks, prizes, and activities for those who visit to donate in person, though donations can be made online or over the phone.

The Sheep River Health Trust is also offering sponsorship packages on their website.