Fundraising event hits radio waves due to Covid

The Whitefish Community Foundation and KGEZ Radio will broadcast a live program on Friday to celebrate the achievements of the 61 local nonprofits participating in the foundation's Great Fish Community Challenge.

"Great Fish On Air with KGEZ" will run from 7:20 a.m. to 1 p.m. and feature interviews with representatives from the nonprofits and other guests from the community. During the program, the Whitefish Community Foundation will award more than $5,000 in grants to the nonprofits.

The radio program is being hosted as a substitute for this year's Great Fish Fun Run and Community Celebration in Depot Park, which was canceled due to the latest surge in Covid-19 infections and hospitalizations.

"As more and more local nonprofits are canceling their fundraising events due to Covid-19 concerns, the funds they raise in the Great Fish Community Challenge are going to be critically important for their programs and projects in the coming year," Whitefish Community Foundation President Linda Engh-Grady said in a news release.

The Great Fish Community Challenge is a six-week charitable giving campaign that enables donors to give to multiple organizations with one transaction. This year's challenge began Aug. 5 and closes Sept. 17.

Donations of $50 or more made during Friday's broadcast will be entered into drawings for a chance to win a $250 grant for a nonprofit selected by the donor.

Donations can be made online at whitefishcommunityfoundation.org/great-fish, or in person between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Hockaday Museum of Art in Kalispell or the Whitefish Community Foundation office.

"One hundred percent of your donation goes directly to the nonprofits you designate, plus, your donation goes further with a percentage matching grant from Whitefish Community Foundation," Engh-Grady said.

The program will air locally on 96.5 FM and 600 AM, and on kgez.com. The station also has a free app so listeners can tune in with their smartphones or tablets.