Astonishing Missoula Generosity Pushes KYSSMAS to $100,000

It's a mark that would have been unheard of when Western Montana's biggest radio charity event started more than 30 years ago.

And we're still walking around in a fog (not the winter type) after the community rallied to raise more than $100,000 for the annual "KYSSMAS for Kids" fund drive on Friday.

It's a heartwarming sign that Montanans really are special people who can still pull together to help one another.

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What is KYSSMAS for Kids?

Since the 1990s, we've taken the entire first Friday in December to raise funds that are then distributed to area family service agencies to purchase gift cards for kids who would otherwise have little hope of having anything under the tree.

But remarkably, those kids more often than not spend their gift cards joyfully buying gifts for their parents and siblings. That's had a ripple effect, with many former KYSSMAS Kids, like dynamo fundraiser John Maki returning to show their enthusiasm for changing lives.

A Friday we'll never forget

We were already feeling hopeful Friday morning on "Daybreak with Dennis", with John teasing that his efforts to gather donations from his "List of Friends", were running ahead of last year's pace when the campaign raised over $80,000.

Then the donations came rolling in, led by businesses like Baer Concrete and Excavation and Shadow Asphalt surprising us with morning gifts of $10,000 on Daybreak with Dennis.

The hours that followed saw long-time supporters like Mark Ward coming in with tens of thousands of dollars in pledges, with thousands more coming through the auction items so generously donated by area businesses.

And when John Maki returned with more than $45,000 the excitement was electric.

The big reveal

Just before 7 pm, their KYSSMAS team returned to the studio to announce the drive had topped 6 figures for the first time ever. That's enough to provide gift cards for approximately 1,000 kids.

"People are tearing up here in this studio," noted Townsquare Media Market President Scott Richman. "This is what the community is all about. And the most amazing thing is that the community of people who have actually faced these challenges are the ones that are helping to raise the most awareness and the most funds."

"This is why we're in radio".