Wayne crime-stopper telethon raises funds
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on November 9, 2008 9:27 AM
News-Argus/GREG SOUSA
Wayne County Sheriff Cary Winders, left, talks with Thomas Vick during the 2008 Goldsboro-Wayne Crime Stoppers Telethon on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008.
About three hours into a Wayne County Crime Stoppers telethon, Sgt. Dot Ardes was wishing she still had her big blue tent.
"At our old location, we had this blue tent, and people would drive by and say 'Oh yeah, Crime Stoppers,'" Ms. Ardes said. "So we're not getting as many people just walking in (and making donations)."
The telethon had earned about $2,400 by 4 p.m. Saturday, being hosted at PACC-10 TV's new location at the historic, newly-renovated fire station on East Ash Street near Goldsboro City Hall.
Ardes said organizers were praying that people would continue to drive by the old fire station and see a banner, or perhaps catch the telethon on PACC-10 TV or its Web site.
The Wayne County Crime Stoppers Telethon continues today, and can be viewed locally on Time Warner Cable Channel 10.
Local residents without Time Warner service can still watch the telethon with an Internet connection, at www.pacc10TV.com.
Crime Stoppers is an international organization, with local chapters that provide people with phone hotlines to report suspicious or criminal activity.
People who provide tips that lead to criminal charges can receive rewards for their information, without ever publicly providing their names.
Ms. Ardes said it isn't necessary to have suspicious activity to help Crime Stoppers, because it takes money to run the organization.
"People can be directly involved in helping to keep their community a safe place, even if they don't have information to help solve a crime," Ardes said. "They can still help by raising money to help this community."
Crime Stoppers Executive Director William Troutman said the organization had high hopes for the telethon.
"We think the response is going to be wonderful," Troutman said. "We hope that, of course, people will recognize the need to support (Crime Stoppers) to help clean up their community of crime."