EH
Eric Hernandez
  • Radio and TV Broadcasting
  • Chicago, IL

Chicago resident Eric Hernandez helps raise nearly $7,500 for Advocate Children's Hospital through radio marathon

2013 Dec 12

Lewis University's WLRA Radio raised nearly $7,500 this Fall semester in support of the Lewis University Family Assistance Fund at Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. and Park Ridge, Ill. The money was raised through the radio's annual "To Kill a DJ" marathon.

WLRA's "To Kill a DJ" is an annual service-learning project for Lewis students that have WLRA Radio as a lab. Students raise money through continuous on-air marathons with pledged support from listeners.

Eric Hernandez of Chicago, Ill. was a a DJ in the marathon.

Some notable student efforts were:

Enrique Larios of Chicago stayed on the air for 48 hours.

David Ridderhoff of Romeoville raised $976 and stayed on the air for 30 hours.

Scott Turek of Bloomingdale raised $586 and stayed on the air for 27 hours.

Natalie Budig of Lombard raised $325 and stayed on the air for 12 hours.

Other students that participated were Sharee Stiff-Bussie of Westchester, Alejandro Calderon of Bellwood, Chelsea Cook of Romeoville, Jonathan Friberg of Justice, Marvin Gomez of Melrose Park, Kody Jalovec of Romeoville, Dana Jenkins of University Park, Robert Knapp of St. John, Ind., Elizabeth Lorang of Homer Glen, Brock Massie of Chicago, Daniel Nolan of Lockport, Richard Rangel of Crown Point, Ind., Breandan Rook of Chicago, Joe Segvich of Chicago, Ryan Tadych of Chicago and Alex Turner of Arlington Heights.

Student staff for the marathon included: Lauren Barnes of Lockport, Katie Colaianni of Lemont, Shane Gustafson of Woodridge, Eric Hernandez of Chicago, Joe Ledger of Oak Forest, Kylie Link of Joliet and Bria May of Chicago.

The Lewis University Family Assistance Fund is used to assist families of hospitalized children in their greatest time of need. In the past, funds have been used to pay for cab rides to and from the hospital for children to have chemotherapy, outpatient services, medicine, clothes when being discharged, hotel rooms for families, bus passes, airline flights to the hospital and much more.

In the spring, WLRA will present another marathon broadcast and the College of Nursing will coordinate a "Change for Children" campaign. All of them support the Lewis University Family Assistance Fund at Children's Hospital.

A favorite among listeners, WLRA has been on the air for 40 years. WLRA's programming includes news and sports coverage, coverage of Lewis University events and a wide variety of music. Students and faculty involved with WLRA are committed to community service and have produced several marathon broadcasts to benefit United Way of Will Country, local children's hospital and many others.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,600 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.