NORFOLK, Neb. — After two days, Friday saw the end of the US92 2024 Radiothon Fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

US92 raised $262,336 to help fight childhood cancers affecting patients of St. Jude.

Volunteers and radiothon staff celebrated the moment of the final total after spending the past 48 hours asking for donations across northeast Nebraska.

“They are so important to our mission, our life saving mission at St. Jude’s," Development Specialist with St. Jude Crysta Moon said. "These are the wonderful people in northeast Nebraska that have joined us in our wall of hope here. We’re just so grateful and appreciative of their support every year.”

Over the past two days, the radio station fielded calls from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and it was a time for celebration for those who spent 48 hours trying to raise money for the organization.

“Being able to be apart of something like this, as much as we talk about it’s US92 St. Jude radiothon, this isn’t us," US92 radio host Caelan Debban said. "This is all of northeast Nebraska and the generosity they are giving.”

In order to get donations for the radiothons, Debban said competitions and goals have been done such as eating hot peppers and getting shot with a paintball gun.

“All of that is just to help people…to drive people and say, ‘Yeah, we’ll watch someone do something dumb but in the end it’s for the best cause imaginable'…raising money for children," Debban said.

After a record setting year raising more money than last year’s total, Debban said the fundraiser has become a major part of his life.

US92 has held the radiothon annually since its start in 2001. The station said they aim to raise even more next year.