National Kidney Foundation of Maryland

NKF-MD: Going Over the Edge!

The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland took fundraising to new heights with its debut Rappel for Kidney Health.

In addition to securing print, broadcast and online media sponsors, LH&A conducted an extensive publicity campaign to spread the word about this unique event.

Numerous pre-event calendar mentions and blurbs were secured, including a half-page write-up in Baltimore Magazine, which served as a great recruitment tool.

The Agency generated several feature stories about various event participants, including cover stories in The Baltimore Sun and Towson Times, as well as Q&A pieces in the Baltimore Business Journal and The Daily Record.

Pre-event broadcast coverage included TV and radio public affairs interviews. In-depth stories included an ABC2 News in-studio segment about the event and kidney health overall, and a WBAL-TV segment featuring an NKF-MD official, along with rappel participants practicing their moves at Earth Treks.

LH&A also helped recruit VIP rappel participants including "Miss Maryland," ABC2 News Reporter Cheryl Conner and 100.7 the Bay Evening Drive DJ "Klug," who later posted photos of the event on his Web page.

ABC2 filmed Cheryl's rappel during the Friday preview. Once back on the ground, Cheryl interviewed additional participants for a story airing on the 11 p.m. newscast and later posted on the ABC2 News Website.

WJZ-TV sent a reporter to film the preview rappel, as well as to broadcast two segments live from the rappel site during its Saturday morning newscast. Fox 45 and WBAL-TV also filmed the Saturday rappel with stories airing during the late night newscasts.

What's more, The Baltimore Sun ran a photo story in the Sunday edition and included many more photos online. The Howard County Times ran a four-page cover story. Both The Examiner and East County Times ran follow-up feature stories, and the Maryland Gazette ran a photo story.

The event was a huge success. Seventy participants took a leap of faith for NKF-MD, and the event raised approximately $115,000. As one newspaper proclaimed, it was the "Height of Charity."