On Saturday afternoon, June 7, 2003, the WHAS production team and satellite truck were in town, with a live broadcast which was simulcast over both WHAS-TV Channel 11, Louisville, and WBKO Channel 13, Bowling Green.

The highlight performance of Saturday's show was the appearance of Lance Burton, who mentioned both his mother, Hilma Burton, and his sister Robin, both of whom now live in Adair County. Mrs. Burton is the matriarch of Magic Acres, the mansion Lance Burton built in eastern Adair County.

Adair County Crusade Chairman J.J. Martin said that the giving is a two-way street. "Adair County is [also] one of the top recipients for Crusade grants," he said, helping explain the motivation for all the work that goes into each year's fundraiser, which began much earlier in the year, with Spring and Fall Fishing Tournaments and a Golf Tournament, in addition to the "roadblock" collections over the weekend.

Bill Greenwell, who represented the Crusade at this weekend's event, noted that while fire departments from more populous areas have raised more total dollars, no county's per capita giving is higher than Adair County's.

"For as long as I've been with the Crusade," said Greenwell, "Adair County has had the highest per capita giving of any county in the state. I've been with the Crusade for 11 years, and I know you've always been number 1 in per capita giving in that time" The record may go back as far as 15 years, he said. Last year, Adair County gave $3.00 per resident.

"If I had to set a model to establish any charity, it would be here," Greenwell said.

More information about the Crusade is available at the web site www.whascrusade.org.

Crusade fundraising in Adair County involves an inspiring number of businesses, community groups and individuals. We'll be posting more information about those individuals later this evening and tomorrow.