Raise the Region kicks off with 314 nonprofits
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MUNCY -- The First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania's annual Raise the Region event kicked off Wednesday night with the goal of fundraising for 314 nonprofit organizations across six counties.
Within the first 15 minutes of the 30-hour online fundraising event, 323 donations totaling $57,617 were made.
A kick-off party was held at Blaise Alexander Chevrolet Buick, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. When the fundraiser started online at 6 p.m., guests were encouraged to visit www.raisetheregion.org on their phones or on laptops set up to donate to nonprofits of their choice.
Donations can be made until 11:59 p.m. today.
Over the last five years of Raise the Region, more than 11,000 individuals made donations, and more than $5.8 million was raised for hundreds of nonprofits, said Jennifer Wilson, foundation president.
"We're most proud of that, that we've engaged that many people," she said, adding premier sponsors Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships make the event possible. "They're philanthropists, that's for sure. Without them, this doesn't happen."
"This fits right in our back pocket," said Aubrey Alexander, whose family business donated $150,000 toward the event this year. "We've always been good to our communities. It's just who we are."
Over 300 guests were invited to the kick-off, many of whom were donors during last year's event.
Robyn Hannan, Phyllis Sieber and Christen Ditzler all are volunteers for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Hannan and Sieber said they donate to the society every year.
"It's all about the animals," they agreed.
Ditzler said she donates to numerous nonprofits.
"I've been a part of Raise the Region since its inception," she said. "It's such a unique way to give back to the organizations that do so much for our community."
Throughout the kick-off party, multiple prizes from event sponsors were given away to participating nonprofits.
Engineering firm Larson Design Group gave away $1,000 to three nonprofits selected in a random drawing. Those selected were the Billtown Blues Association, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble and Benton Volunteer Fire Co. and Ambulance.
UPMC Health Plan offered a "Green Flag" prize of $1,000 to the first nonprofit to receive 50 donations. That prize went to the Northumberland Christian School. The school also won a prize from M&T Bank, which pledged $1,000 to the nonprofit to receive the most money between 6 and 7 p.m. About $29,536 was raised for Northumberland Christian School during that time.
Nine organizations received cash prizes from UPMC Susquehanna, which pledged to match every $50 donation in full made within a minute. The timer started at 7:16 p.m. and, within 62 seconds, donors raised $18,785. The recipient nonprofits were Camp Victory, Magical Memories, Meadowbrook Christian School, Mifflinburg Area Community Scholarship Trust, Northumberland Christian School, Orangeville Public Library, River Valley Health and Dental, RiverStage Community Theatre and STEP Inc.
Winners of the final prize of the night were chosen by the guests. Upon arrival, guests were entered into a drawing for a chance to choose a nonprofit to receive $1,000 from the foundation. Two guests' names were drawn, and they picked St. John Neumann Regional Academy and Camp Victory.
More prizes will be given away over the course of the fundraiser, Wilson said.