Children’s Hospital to Use Live Twitter Feed During WPLJ Broadcast Concert and Fundraiser - Rob Thomas, Colbie Caillat & Jason Mraz scheduled to perform
Tomorrow morning (Monday, December 21, 2009) at 6 am, Blythedale Children’s Hospital will be rocking and rolling as 95.5 WPLJ FM holds its 18th Annual Holiday Broadcast Concert and Fundraiser. Featured music performers include stars Rob Thomas, Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz.
An interesting development on the social media front is the news that Blythedale will utilize a live Twitter feed leading up to and during the concert to help publicize and promote both the concert and auction components of the event. A 60-inch flatscreen will be used to display tweets to those attending the event. Those listening to the concert on the radio will be able to interact with the @Blythedale Twitter account throughout the fundraiser.
Blythedale has been one of a handful of non-profits in Westchester County, NY to fully utilize Twitter to help communicate its organizational story. Director of Public Relations Connie Cornell launched the account in May 2009, and has used Twitter as a place to post child safety tips, publicize links to hospital news, and encourage people to visit the hospital’s website, along with other interesting and useful information. The @Blythedale Twitter account currently has 1127 followers.
“Twitter has proven itself to be a valuable resource that we have been able to integrate into our larger public relations and communications strategy, said Cornell. “We have been able to use it to connect with others in our local community who are interested in what Blythedale has to offer. At the same time, we have been able to reach out to people in other parts of the country and beyond. Not bad for a free communications application.”
Cornell was an attendee at the 1st Westchester TweetUp held at POUR Cafe and Wine Bar in Mount Kisco in October. The TweetUp, organized by Westchester140, was the first-ever full-blown Twitter event in the Westchester area, and resulted in Blythedale acquiring dozens of local influential followers. She plans to continue attending similar events to promote her organization in the future, including the 3rd Westchester TweetUp planned for the third week of January.
The concert, which is Blythedale’s largest fundraiser of the year, will be broadcast on 95.5 WPLJ FM and hosted by WPLJ’s Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill. The concert is the final show of the year for the “Scott & Todd in the Morning Show”. While the concert is an invitation-only event, the public can participate by supporting the Hospital in advance of the broadcast or during the Radiothon by any one of the following ways:
- Donate to Blythedale Children’s Hospital by calling 914-592-7138 ext. 304
- Listen to the WPLJ broadcast from 6 -10 am, and call 914-592-1643 to bid on the auction items or to make a gift
- Bid online at the WPLJ website for auction items that include rock-and-roll and sports memorabilia
- Donations can also be made online by visiting www.blythedale.org
- Follow Blythedale on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates on the live auction.
“The Annual Holiday Concert has become a wonderful tradition here at Blythedale and is always a memorable event for the children as well as our staff,” said Larry Levine, President and CEO of Blythedale Children’s Hospital. “Over the years, the concert has featured some of the country’s best-known recording artists and we are so grateful to them for donating their time and talents for this very special occasion.”
In years past, the popular fundraiser has drawn such star power as Jon Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas, John Mayer, Vanessa Williams, Cyndi Lauper, Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates, Tony Bennett, Barenaked Ladies, Jewel, Meatloaf, Pat Monahan & Band, Jason Mraz, Natalie Merchant, Meat Loaf, Elliot Yamin, Jose Feliciano, Darlene Love, Debbie Gibson, Bobby Helms and many more.
