Northern Native Broadcasting will host a 12-hour radiothon on Friday believed to be a first-of-its-kind in B.C.
Radio For Recovery will air from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on CFNR-FM Terrace and Journey 103.6 FM (CJNY-FM) Vancouver, with a goal to spread awareness and raise funds for drug and alcohol recovery amongst First Nations people.
Northern Native Broadcasting has partnered with The Shayne William Robinson Fund, held in trust by Together We Can, which supports Northern B.C. First Nations members living a high-risk lifestyle due to addiction, who are ineligible for existing treatment funding, in addition to the First Nations Health Foundation (FNHF).
In addition to its radio network, the radiothon will be video-streamed on the station websites, with donors encouraged to choose a foundation to directly contribute to.
The event’s timing coincides with National Recovery Month, promoting awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use recovery.
“Every dollar raised goes directly toward helping those in need,” Radio Operations Manager Matt Fisher told Broadcast Dialogue. “This wellness initiative is an opportunity for First Nations people across B.C. who consume alcohol and/or other substances to reflect on their personal use, determine whether they want to reduce or stop consumption for a month (or even longer), and focus on their overall well-being. Both the First Nations Health Foundation and Together We Can are great people who really care, and we’re proud to be apart of, and advocate for, both initiatives.”
Fisher says in every hour of the radiothon, listeners will hear recovery stories shared from all over the province.
“Our team has worked tirelessly over the last few months talking to Elders, facility members, politicians, and young people in communities all across B.C. You’ll hear their stories all day on both CFNR and Journey FM in Vancouver, with the goal in mind being to spread awareness…and to raise money for some great people who work tirelessly to help those in need. We’re all incredibly excited, and have learned that addiction of any kind touches the lives of everyone.”
Learn more at CFNRFM.CA/RECOVERY.
