Former Q94 DJs reuniting for radiothon

By: BY MELISSA RUGGIERI TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER | Times-Dispatch
Published: December 10, 2009

Wicker

Call it déjà vu for a good cause.

In the late '90s, Q94's air staff -- Jeff Wicker, Betty Bodine, Kirby Carmichael, Billy Surf, Lisa McKay and Travis Dylan -- consistently helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation raise hundreds of thousands of dollars with its 12 Hours of Christmas radiothon.

Tomorrow, all of the old favorites will be back at 6 a.m., except for McKay, who is program director at country station WQDR in Raleigh, N.C., and Dylan, who is operations manager for oldies WCDG in Norfolk.

"I'm so excited about coming back," said Wicker, who helmed WRVQ's (94.5-FM) morning show until 2002 (until 2000 with Bodine). "I've always liked the emotion of that day, the excitement and the fun, and then the emotional part of telling the kids' stories and meeting some of them."

The idea to reunite the crew came from Karen Webb, president and CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Greater Virginia Chapter.

Given that this is the 15th anniversary of the 12 Hours of Christmas, and that Q94 has only one live DJ -- Kash, who does afternoons -- the timing seemed ideal.

"This is something I've wanted to do the past few years. This was the time to bring them back and try to re-energize people," Webb said.

In the past 14 years, the 12 Hours of Christmas has raised more than $1.4 million and granted the wishes of 273 children in central Virginia.

In 2003, Q94 and sister station Lite 98 (WTVR 98.1-FM), which is also participating this year, raised a combined $250,000 for Make-A-Wish.

Tomorrow, the radiothon on both stations will launch at 6 a.m. and run until 7 p.m. ("It's the 12 hours of Christmas that is really 13 hours," Webb joked.)

Listeners can request songs for a donation and also bid on items, such as an autographed Lady Gaga mirror ball, an autographed Jason Mraz photo and an autographed Sheryl Crow CD, among dozens of other items, with all proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish.

"We're going to do it old-school," Webb said about the on-air event. "We'll go back to telling lots of wish stories and talking about the wish kids and what we do. . . . All four [of the former Q94 DJs] are heart-committed to this mission. When we get going with it, the passion will be there."

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or mruggieri@timesdispatch.com.