Give to WIBX’s 55th Annual Heart RadioThon This Friday

The WIBX Slocum-Dickson Heart Radiothon is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year, raising money for the American Heart Association and continuing a tradition that has become part of the fabric of Central New York.

For more than five decades, the Radiothon has helped fund research and education aimed at fighting heart disease and stroke. The event is closely tied to America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, which takes place each year in Utica and draws thousands of walkers and runners from across the region.

The story behind the Radiothon is deeply personal for this radio station.

The effort began after the sudden and tragic death of beloved WIBX personality Ralph Allinger. Not long after his passing, members of a local running group organized a powerful tribute. They carried donations from Barneveld all the way to the WIBX studios, honoring Allinger while raising money to fight heart disease.

That moment helped spark what would eventually grow into America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk and the WIBX Heart Radiothon.

Fifty five years later, the mission remains the same. Heart disease and stroke continue to affect millions of families across the country, including many right here in the Mohawk Valley.

Almost every family in America is touched in some way by heart disease. During the Radiothon we hear those stories all day long.

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Some are heartbreaking. Some are hopeful. All of them remind us why this event matters.

From 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Friday, March 6, 2026), listeners can call or text in a pledge to support the American Heart Association.

To donate, call 315-624-WIBX or 315-624-9429.

Many donors choose to give in honor of someone they’ve lost or someone still fighting heart disease or stroke. In a way, each pledge becomes a tribute.

And after 55 years, the generosity of this community continues to be the driving force behind the Radiothon, as millions of dollars have been raised for heart research.