Radio station helps grant wishes for kids

A local radio station has been helping children in need by delivering toys, but employees decided to refocus their mission to help kids in the long-run as well.

KEKB began the "Grant a Wish" program in 2008.

In the past, donations were generated solely by listeners of KEKB. But this year, local businesses and organizations helped donate over $6,000 to the cause.

The money will provide over 50 kids with the opportunity to participate in programs like karate, soccer, football, dance, and even digital camera classes.

KEKB partnered with the Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Department to provide scholarships to children for the extra-curricular activities.

"We were seeing a cycle of poverty that was just kind of never-ending and we decided at that point that these toys weren't really the solution to the problem we were seeing," said Mackenzie Dodge, Program Director for KEKB.

"So we offer these children life-skills programs to hopefully teach them not only , you know, how to make friends and sportsmanship, but things that they would use for the rest of their life," Dodge added.

There were over 60 kids nominated for the "Grant a Wish" program in 2012.

Coordinators say nominations grow every year and donations seem to be going down, but with the communities help, KEKB is able to grant every child's wish.

$2,000 was raised through KEKB's "Last Run of Your Life Zombie" run in October. A motorcycle run hosted by Grand Junction Harley Davidson helped raise over $1,000.

Additional funds were raised by the Mesa County Junior Football League, Grand Junction Soccer Club, Defy Gravity, Playback Sports and Absolute Dance.