Reader here, and what can I say?
Saskatchewan, you’ve done it again!
The 50th edition of TeleMiracle, held over the weekend at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, shattered the previous record, set in 2022, by raising $10, 521,072!
That is unreal, and is just a fantastic reminder of how when we come together, amazing things happen!
Of course the money raised stays right here in the province, as the Kinsmen Foundation uses the money to support Saskatchewan residents needing specialized medical equipment and treatments, and mobility aids.
TeleMiracle made its debut in 1977 (the same year I was born), and has been a tradition in the province ever since, and something residents look forward to each year, with communities from all corners of Saskatchewan coming up with all kinds of fun ways to raise money and support the 20-hour telethon (which was expanded to 22 hours this year, to celebrate the 50th year!)
When I was a kid, I remember my brothers and I pulling out the sleeping bags, staying up late watching TeleMiracle, and crashing out and sleeping on the living room floor, when our eyelids finally got too heavy.
The cast was always something you could count on, from the iconic Bob McGrath, of “Sesame Street” fame, Canadian folk singers John Allan Cameron and Valdy, stars of the long-running soap “Another World, ” like Stephen Schnetzer and Tom Eplin (who played Cass Winthrop and Jake McKinnon, respectively), Billy Barty, Alan Thicke and Gloria Loring, “Definition” host Jim Perry, musicians such as like Harlequin, the Stampeders, Lawrence Gowan, and so many more, to the modern-era cast, including Brad Johner, Beverly Mahood and Jeffery Straker, just to name a few.
And then the Saskatchewan talent! singers, dancers, jazz bands, and so many more graced the stage over the years, showcasing just how much amazing talent could be found right here in the province.
It’s always fun watching the names of donors scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen, seeing if you know anyone who chose to “ring those phones” and make a donation!
Seeing the different groups coming out on stage to make their donations in person, talking about their various fundraisers is so much fun, seeing their creativity, and then watching all the local Kin clubs working the phones, and seeing familiar faces taking donations.
Over the past few years, corporate donations have played a big part in raising the totals, as have bequests, with folks who have supported TeleMiracle throughout their lifetimes, choosing to make a final gift, to help support the work of the Kinsmen Foundation.
This year, a major bequest came from the late Alice Tindall, who left a gift of $2,350,000, along with many other bequests from residents this year, who wanted to leave a lasting legacy after their passing.
Year after year, TeleMiracle grows and grows, and reminds us all of the absolute best of Saskatchewan, and it makes me so proud to say that this is my home!
50 years in the books, and they’re just getting started! Way to go, Saskatchewan!!!
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