The first Radiothon to end child abuse was organized by Omni Broadcasting founder and Brainerd Lakes area residents Lou Buron and Mary Campbell at a Twin Cities radio station in 1987. At the time Lou was chairman of the Minnesota Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse. The MCPCA was chronically short of funding and the Radiothon concept promised to help create a financial foundation for the committee.

When Lou and Mary formed Omni Broadcasting in 1989, they saw the need for increased child abuse prevention education and funding in the communities served by their radio properties in the Bemidji and Alexandria areas. The first Bemidji Radiothon was launched by KB101 and KBUN radio in 1989. KIKV-FM, Alexandria followed with their inaugural Radiothon in 1990.

In 1994 Lou and Mary's Omni Broadcasting exported Radiothon to the Brainerd Lakes on WJJY. Today, Lou and Mary's Radiothon to End Child Abuse is heard on four radio station WJJY, The Power Loon, Cool 103.5 and B93.3.

The Radiothon to End Child Abuse is a joint effort of the Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota Committee, local Child Abuse Prevention Councils and Child Abuse Prevention Teams, and BL Broadcasting (a division of Omni Broadcasting).

The Brainerd Radiothon is a joint effort of the Crow Wing County Child Protection Team, the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council, the Aitkin County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota. During the Radiothon, resource people from many disciplines, including health, education, law enforcement, and human services address child abuse prevention and reinforce the concept that child abuse can be stopped through education and public awareness.

The Radiothon to End Child Abuse is held the first Thursday and Friday of each December, beginning at noon on Thursday and continuing 24 hours until noon on Friday.

The first Radiothon held in Brainerd in 1994 raised over $12,000. The annual revenue from Radiothon has increased steadily over the last 11 years and in 2004, over $90,000 was raised through pledges, and auction items. The first eleven years on Brainerd's Radiothon has produced over $500,000 to fight child abuse in our area and across Minnesota.

With your help, the Radiothon has made a difference in the lives of abused children. The money helps local agencies do more to prevent abuse. And maybe more important, the increased public awareness of child abuse and neglect shines a bright light on a problem that thrives in the darkness of indifference and ignorance.