LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As WHAS11 prepares to celebrate 70 years of the WHAS Crusade for Children Saturday and Sunday, we're also making new traditions.
For the first time ever, the Crusade Variety Show will be held at Old Forester's Paristown Hall, located at 724 Brent Street.
Though some things never change about the WHAS Crusade, like the dedicated firefighters across Kentuckiana, who collect donations for children with special needs.
Friday, the race to fundraise was on, over at PRP Fire's Training Center.
"Our goal is [to raise] $200,000, and we're going to hopefully achieve that goal," PRP Dep. Fire Chief Joseph Bowman said.
The group of 40 or so volunteers decided they'd reach that goal on foot.
"We'll cover all the streets going door-to-door, collecting money," PRP Distr. Fire Chief Joe Elder said. "We'll do that for a couple hours."
The group covered 70 square miles, using several fire trucks, of course.
House-by-house, door by door, you were bound to find some first-timers, along with the long-time, loyal Crusade supporters.
That includes Deanna Mobley. The 81 year old has been in Louisville nearly as long as the WHAS Crusade.
Mobley said she has supported the cause since year one.
"It's because it's going to the children," Mobley said. "Over the years [the Crusade] has just grown and grown and gotten better and better."
Mobley isn't the only one with a decades-long connection to the cause.
2023 marks Elder's 30th year helping raise donations.
"It's overwhelming. I even tear up now talking about it," Elder said. "I feel like I need to give back and as long as I'm able to walk, be with the fire department, and talk and breath, I'm going to donate."
Bowman shares a similar experience.
"I've had that long relationship with [WHAS] Crusade for Children," Bowman said.
It is one passed down over generations.
"My dad, Joe Bowman retired in 2018. And, I took that over from him. He passed that torch to me," Bowman said.
Elder said what stands out most to him "is probably the little kids -- when they see the fire trucks -- they talk and give you nickels and dimes and pennies."
It's not hard to look beyond the coins and dollars, though, to find out the true meaning and impact of WHAS Crusade for Children is priceless.
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