ESTEVAN - United Way Estevan starts preparing for the 47th annual telethon this week.
The board will be getting together every Wednesday leading up to the 33-hour event, which is slated to run from 8 a.m. on Oct. 13 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Estevan Royal Canadian Legion Hall. The entire event will air on Access Channel 7.
This year, the theme is Be Part of the Energy, and United Way Estevan president Michelle Beaulieu said they wanted the entire community to feel the drive of the event and what it gives the city and its non-profits.
"With the theme this year, Be Part of the Energy, we want people to come to the legion and see what we're all about, to be part of the 33 hours of entertainment and raising money for some very good organizations in our community. We're hoping that we can fill the legion, and we want everyone to Be Part of the Energy," Beaulieu said in an interview with the Mercury and SaskToday.
"The community really rallies together for the telethon; a lot of businesses do promotions and support us. So, it's a whole community affair. And we want everybody to be a part of that."
The goal for this year is $343,064, which represents the combined need of the 11 member agencies and four community impact projects that the United Way Estevan supports. There is a special small addition.
"All that money stays in the Estevan area and directly supports the residents," said Beaulieu. "Each organization that we give money to puts in a request for a certain amount of funds, and then we have a committee that puts it together in a budget. It came to $343,000. And number 64 is an important number to me. So, we added that, and I'm hoping that draws a little bit of attention."
A lot of work is to be done between now and the event in the middle of October.
The entertainment committee has started collecting and organizing entries from local talents of all kinds. The event will go live at the legion with the public invited to stop by anytime within the 33 hours to enjoy the entertainment and donate to the cause. Pledges will also be accepted over the phone and online.
Beaulieu said they are open to new ideas and hope to see a lot of great local talents participating.
The event will also see a return of the silent auction, featuring various handmade bid items. Ahead of the telethon, bid items will be displayed at Murray GM Estevan. During the event, people will be able to bid online through social media and at the legion.
United Way hopes to have about 100 items available for the auction, which is similar to what they had the past few years.
Finding volunteers to ensure the event runs and airs smoothly will be another piece of this puzzle. Beaulieu said every year it takes around 100 people to cover many different shifts throughout 33 hours, and they reach out to local groups and individuals for help, but they are always happy to welcome new people as well.
"The telethon has been a part of our community for 47 years, and it's a great way to get involved. It's a lot of fun. There's a great group of people. We're raising money for a good cause. It's just a good time and a good event for the community," Beaulieu said.
She added that they expect a number of local businesses to host fundraisers ahead of the telethon to help them reach the set goal. People can keep an on their social media for details. The Estevan Mercury and SaskToday.ca will also have more stories leading to the event.
If anybody wants to be a part of the entertainment, volunteer during the event in any capacity or donate a handmade item for the silent auction, they can reach out to the United Way Estevan office at (306) 634-7375 and speak to executive director Heidi Hesselink.
