Before Jim Madalinsky became the weekend sports anchor at KELO in Sioux Falls, SD, he spent two years working in Minot, ND, as sports director for KMOT. Minot, a city in northern North Dakota, has had severe flooding in the past several months — and Madalinsky wanted to help.
Deadspin reports that Madalinsky announced Friday he would donate $5 to the American Red Cross for flood relief in Minot for every person that “liked” his Facebook page by the end of the day. At 2 p.m., he had 95 fans. By the end of the day, he had more than 500. Madalinsky extended the deadline to Sunday and lowered the donation to $1 per fan.
In yet another lesson to never underestimate the power of social media, Madalinsky’s final fan tally was 2,720 — and he has added another thousand “likes” today. “Whether its to help a good cause or simple watching a small-time sports guy go broke, either way, I’m stunned,” Madalinsky wrote on his Facebook page. “I’m going to get all my ducks in a row (apply for a loan) and see how the donations go before I give the final total. Thanks again!”
Madalinsky’s friends and colleagues have offered to chip in to the donations.
(h/t Deadspin)