Stroudsburg, PA (April 6, 2006) --Sister Marion Reiersen and Pat Stys, Co-Founders of The Shepherd's Maternity House (SMH) were totally in awe of the magnificent response from 93.5 WSBG-FM and the Gary in the Morning listeners who became part of “Gary’s Gang” during the four day donate-a-thon.

“$7,385.00 was raised monetarily and an estimated value of $45,000 was given in the form of in-kind donations with a grand total of $52,385 which was raised in just four short days. Nearly everything was donated from a huge wish list of items that was given to the radio station by the co-founders, Stys and Reiersen. “It was all needed to help open the SMH doors. Our last big task that needs to be accomplished is the hiring of 24/7 support staff and securing funds for their salaries,” Stys said.

“The donate-a-thon was a spectacular success, probably one of the most successful fundraisers the organization ever had. The outpouring of love and support from the community was absolutely overwhelming. We are thankful to each and everyone who generously donated to help bring The Shepherd's Maternity House closer to fruition. We could not have done it without Gary and his gang. SMH is most grateful to them, the station’s Vice President, Maureen Barth and everyone else at Nassau Broadcasting who helped to initiate and pull this together,” Stys said.

The Shepherd's Maternity House time had come. Last September, Reiersen and Stys, along with their sponsors, WSBG 93.5, Brownie’s in the Burg and ESSA Bank and Trust were all in agreement to turn the already planned fundraiser for SMH over to the Hurricane Katrina victims. At that time $15,000 was raised and given to the American Red Cross/Hurricane Katrina Fund to help those who had suffered from the Gulf Coast devastation.

“We certainly needed the funds for SMH, but we recognized that there were people who needed help more than we did at that time,” said Pat Stys who heads the Development Department at SMH. “Our good friends at the radio station said they would make it up to SMH; they fulfilled their commitment. Sister and I have been blessed and SMH was rewarded many times over for helping with the Katrina catastrophe”, said Stys.

The Shepherd’s Maternity House, Inc., is a non-profit, inter-denominational organization which provides shelter, care, counseling and education for Pocono-area unwed women in first-time pregnancy crisis.