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WIBX Radiothon: where the Heart Run all began

By WKTV News

Story Created: Mar 2, 2012 at 12:03 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 2, 2012 at 1:07 PM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The event that started the Heart Run and Walk is still going strong this year.

Even in the era of the internet, the phones were still ringing off the hook at the WIBX Radiothon. They set their own goals for heart weekend and they actually gave birth to all the heart run-walk events.

"A former WIBX employee, Ralph Ellinger, passed away from a heart attack and Bill Heiderich, Lou Barile and a few other founding fathers wanted to do a radiothon in honor of him and a man ran from Barneveld all the way down to the radio station to make a check presentation and the heart run/walk was born," said Adrianne Taft, Radiothon Event Coordinator.

Also pushing up the Radiothon's numbers were fun challenges where they pit cities and towns against each other to see who can raise more money.