In 1999 Christie Matthews, the KDXY (104.9 The Fox) program director at the time, came to her leadership team with an idea. “Let’s have an event to raise money to grant wishes to children dealing with critical illness.” The group she referenced was called Make-A-Wish. Many in the company had never heard of it. And the goal that first year was to raise enough money to grant one wish: $3,500. At the end of the first event the group had raised $22,500.
Fast forward 28 years to 2026. This past Friday Saga Communications’ Jonesboro Media Group in Jonesboro, Arkansas teamed with Gray Television’s KAIT-TV to hold the 28th Have-A-Heart Wishathon. A one-day radio and television event that involves school children raising money (Kids for Wish Kids), volunteers holding buckets at 18 roadblocks across Northeast Arkansas, businesses digging deep to leverage big donations, and individuals giving from their hearts to continue to grant wishes, which now cost an average of $10,000.
Throughout the day kids who had previously been granted wishes, many of whom have grown up and gone on to have healthy, productive lives, shared the stories of how their wish impacted their lives. School children shared why they care about raising money to grant wishes for other kids. Business leaders explained why giving to Make A Wish is important to them. Story after story was shared on radio, television and social media.
At the end of the day Friday the Wishathon had raised $544,008 for Make A Wish. That’s enough to grant an average of 54 wishes.
Matthews is now the station manager and sales manager for Saga in Jonesboro. She’s also one of the lead volunteer coordinators and wish granters for Make A Wish of the Mid-South, something Matthews does mostly on her own time, but her company gladly allows her to serve on company time, too. “The impact our association with Make-A-Wish has had on the communities we serve is immeasurable,” said Trey Stafford, President/General Manager for Saga in Jonesboro. “Just as important is the impact super-serving our community like we have for decades has had on the success of our company. Our commitment to and involvement with Make-A-Wish has been a big part of that success.”
Jonesboro Media Group’s television partner, KAIT-TV, is just as committed. “We do several events together with the Jonesboro Media Group each year,” said Hatton Weeks, KAIT-TV Vice President/General Manager. Weeks said the two groups put advertising competition aside when it comes to serving their communities. “We lead the state’s biggest fireworks display together, we conduct the area’s biggest food drive for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas together, and other events and activities that are important to the areas we serve. Make-A-Wish puts the icing on the cake.”
