Serious Request 2017 kicks off in Apeldoorn tonight

NPO 3FM's Serious Request 2017 kicks off in Apeldoorn on Monday night. DJ's Angelique Houtveen, Domien Verschuuren and Sander Hoogendoorn are set to arrive in the Gelderland city by train at 3:00 p.m., and at 8:00 p.m. Frans Timmermans, vice president of the European Commission, will lock them into the Glass House. This year 3FM's annual fund raiser is raising money to help the Red Cross reunite families torn apart by disasters or conflicts, according to the Serious Request website.

From tonight until Christmas Eve the three DJ's will be locked into the Glass House on Marktplein and play requests for 24 hours per day, while motivating the Netherlands to donate for this cause. Hundreds of actions have been arranged throughout the country to help the DJ's raise money for the Red Cross this year, according the Het Parool.

"Worldwide more than 4 million family members have lost each other due to a disaster or conflict", according to the Serious Request website. "In conflict areas, such as in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, millions of children are forced to live separately from their parents, brothers or sisters. With the proceeds of 3FM Serious Request, Red Cross aid workers trace missing children, restore contact with their family and bring them back home."

This is the 14th edition of Serious Request, and the first time the fundraiser is held in Gelderland. In preparation for this year, the Glass House underwent a complete renovation, De Stentor reports. For the first time, the Glass House now has two floors. "Almost everything in the house - including the walls and the bedroom - is glass this year", broadcast manager Edwin Valent said to the newspaper. "The audience is therefore closer than ever. From the Marktplein or any channel whatsoever: radio, television, online. That makes it more intense for Sander, Angelique and Domien."

Serious Request will kick off with a performance by Chef'Special at 8:30 p.m. on Monday.

Last year's fundraiser was focused on helping children dying from pneumonia. In 2015 Serious Request raised money for kids in war zones.