Mostly Mozart

Yes, indeed, it is "Mostly Mozart" week here at WFMT. I'm really enjoying all the variety that this young genius created..each work with its own special beauty and thought. Here's a great video of conductor Trevor Pinnock with the Berlin Philharmonic, performing the first movement of Symphony No. 40 in g minor. What a sound and what a great work. I hoep you enjoy it.

Carolyn

Steve Robinson mentioned in Fox News blog...

From reporter Nancy Loo's blog (reporter at Fox Chicago):

On just about every day of the year, Chicago's media companies are competing with each other - elbowing others out of the way to get interviews and stories on the air faster and better. Today, we worked together for "Chicago Helps Haiti". Every TV and radio station in town spent an entire broadcast day soliciting calls and donations for the American Red Cross.

Steve Robinson, General Manager of WFMT-FM, was a driving force in organizing the event. He told me it took just two hours to get commitments from every broadcast executive in town including my bosses here at Fox Chicago, General Manager Mike Renda and News Director Carol Fowler.
Hewitt Associates stepped up bigtime by hosting the telethon at its facilities in Lincolnshire and finding an army of volunteers to answer the phones and take in the donations.

How other Chicago media are covering the Haiti Telethon...

Here's how some other media are covering the Chicago Helps Haiti Telethon:

 

From ABC:
Chicago media team up for Haiti relief drive

From the Daily Herald:
Chicago Helps Haiti call center volunteer has close ties to Haiti

Remember, the phone number to donate is 877-565-5000.

Circle of donors grows...

The 7th Grade class of St. Thomas the Apostle in Hyde Park on behalf of the entire student body, has just pledged $100 to Chicago Helps Haiti.










In addition, Staff of the Art Institute of Chicago just called Chicago Helps Haiti with a contribution and also said they are sending an email blast to their 25,000 member urging them to support the drive.

CDW Offers Huge Challenge Grant

This morning CDW (Computer Discount Warehouse) offered a huge challenge grant: $1,000 for each caller who donates $1,000 or more up to $100,000. We've never quite seen this type of huge challenge and we hope it works! Up to $1,649,460 in the grant total.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

VERNON HILLS, Ill ? January 21, 2010 ? CDW LLC, a leading provider of technology products and solutions for business, government and education, today announced a challenge match to help raise money for the American Red Cross Haitian relief effort as part of the CHICAGO HELPS HAITI relief drive.
CDW will match relief drive donations of $1,000 or more, up to a total match of $100,000. During the relief drive, people are encouraged to call 1-877-565-5000 to donate to the American Red Cross Haitian relief effort. The relief drive takes place today, January 21, 2010, from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Chicagoans can also donate to the American Red Cross International Response Fund at www.chicagoredcross.org/haiti.

1,500 Hewitt Associates volunteers are answering phones today...

And we spoke to one of them:
Mary from Hewitt

Why is Hewitt involved with this telethon?

The company is a huge human resources consulting and outsourcing firm, meaning that employees here research and advice on company compensation and retirement plans, workplace practices, and everything in between. A large part of their business takes the place of HR offices for other companies and call centers located around the country answer questions for their customers. The Hewitt call center infrastructure is what allows this telethon to happen...and the coffee and pastries are really helpful, too.

$1,268,021 - McCormick Foundation makes matching gift

The Chicago Helps Haiti Telethon has raised over $1,000,000 meaning that the McCormick Foundation just released a challenge grant of $500,000 to the Red Cross of Greater Chicago in support of Haiti relief.

McCormick Foundation President David Hiller

Remember, call in your donation to 877-565-5000 and a Hewitt Associates employee volunteer will answer your call!