What do 6,000 volunteer change bandits, 2 1/2 tons of coins, 35 hours of live radio broadcasting, and over 1,000 miles on the Ehler's RV Coach for Kids add up to? More than $130,000* to support Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen Health Care.

Since early December, the Development Office and WOKO have been planning and promoting The Big Change Round Up for Kids. With the help of nearly 6,000 volunteer "Change Bandits" in the community and here at Fletcher Allen, they have been collecting change for six weeks.

These efforts culminated in a four-day, 35-hour radio broadcast to "round up" all this change and celebrate the children served at Vermont Children's Hospital. For three days, Wild Bill Sargent, C.K. Coin and other personalities at WOKO broadcast from three area Wal-Marts, greeted change bandits, interviewed patients and volunteers and asked the community to make their contributions to the Big Change Round Up and Vermont Children's Hospital.

On the final day of the broadcast, Tuesday, March 6, in the lobby of the ACC , Governor James Douglas pronounced "Children’s Miracle Network Day" in honor of Kathryn Winn , the 2007 Children's Miracle Network Champion.

In addition to collecting change, Fletcher Allen employees participated in a "denim day," held on Tuesday, March 6. With a $5 contribution for the Vermont Children's Hospital, employees received a button to wear with denim while at work that day, raising approximately $7,000.

Yet another component to the fundraiser was a 10-day on-line auction for a quilt that included the signatures of almost 20 country music stars, including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, and Travis Tritt.