For the past 40 years,during the first weekend in March, televisions across Saskatchewan tune in to the Kinsmen and Kinette Telemiracle telethon.
This year, Ava Zoller, an eight-year-old dancer from North Battleford, will head to Saskatoon to perform at the annual marathon fundraiser.
Both Ava and her sister, Electra, train at Dance Connection in North Battleford and it was Electra who first got the idea to audition. In the end, only Ava was selected to perform, but Kristin Zoller, the girls’ mother, says both girls are still excited and were motivated to audition for one special reason.
“When I was younger, I had to be brought back by ambulance from Lloydminster to Saskatoon. I was 18 at the time, I didn’t have income and I was pregnant with [my first child.]. Telemiracle actually paid for it,” says Zoller.
The Zollers will be fundraising prior to the telethon March 4 and 5 on Facebook and hope to have a cheque for Ava to present on air. Zoller says she was informed Potash Corp. has agreed to match all donations made by performers of the telethon.
“It’s exciting to fund-raise money for Ava to participate in this and give back,” says Zoller.
“I always remember the letter I received from them stating that they were going to help me and pay for the ambulance and how that alleviated a lot of pressure on me as a young adult and new single parent.”
Proceeds from the 20-hour broadcast, interspersed with performances from national and local artists, benefit the Telemiracle Foundation. Last year’s Telemiracle raised more than $5 million and to date the telethon has raised more than $100 million for the foundation.
