Fundraising for Wings dips from earlier years
The recent radiothon for Wings raised about $42,000 for grants to help cancer patients pay out-of-pocket expenses not covered by medical insurance, such as transportation, lodging and meals.
"I think it's safe to say we're about $15,000 behind last year," said Ray Washtak, a Wings board member.
The shortfall amounts to about a 30 percent decrease from 2008 and an even more substantial drop from recent boom years when pledges passed $70,000.
Washtak said the organization has two or three other benefits this year such as an annual lunch fundraiser in Libby.
Factoring in the downturn in the economy, Washtak said members of the organization were not completely surprised by the drop.
"People in the Flathead did the best they could," he said. "Wings would not be Wings without the generous support over all those years of the Flathead Valley."
This was the 13th year that the organization has held the radiothon for two days. Bee Broadcasting radio stations carried the event, originating from Sportsman and Ski Haus.
Washtak said the board has a meeting scheduled in early February to decide how to respond to the revenue shortfall. He said the group may have to cut grants down from the maximum of $2,000 per patient.
"The board is going to look at grants and how they're allocated," Washtak said.
Since 100 percent of the money goes to the patients, Wings has no overhead such as salaries to trim. In the first eight months of 2008, the organization distributed $156,600.
According to Washtak, an allocation committee made up of four or five members of the general board meets every month to consider applications for assistance from cancer patients. The full board meets eight times a year.
"We have some great people who are really dedicated," Washtak said. "This is pretty dear to all of us."
Board members include cancer survivors, a physician, two nurses, a social worker and a public relations specialist from Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Washtak, a member since 1995, has survived 17 years since his diagnosis and treatment.
Bobbie Kandarian, board president, is now in treatment for a recurrence of cancer. She recalls when Wings could only provide a maximum of $400 to help a patient pay nonmedical expenses such as driving back and forth for treatments.
"We may have to adjust the grants but we've come up a long ways from the original grants," she said.
Kandarian said people calling into the radio event expressed regret that they couldn't afford to contribute as generously this year as they have in the past. She said the board appreciated every donation, no matter what size.
In recent years, Wings has witnessed a steady increase in the number of people seeking grants. For example, she said the organization helped 72 patients in 1997 compared to 241 in 2008.
She said the grants assist a wide range of people. In 2008, the average patient was 59 but the youngest was 15 and the oldest was 83.
Throughout the year, Wings usually receives unsolicited donations. These often come from patients on their birthdays or as memorials from families of patients helped during their battle with cancer.
People who missed the radiothon but would like to donate may send contributions to Wings, P.O. Box 7852, Kalispell, MT 59904.
"We'll help as many people as we can," Kandarian said.
Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com.