ESTEVAN — Preparations for the 46th annual United Way Estevan Telethon, slated to start Oct. 14 at 8 a.m. and run through 5 p.m. on Oct. 15, are almost done.
In a few more hours United Way Estevan members and volunteers will start setting the equipment up at the legion hall on Fourth Street to get reUnited with the community in their effort to raise funds for vital local organizations and projects, as well as to entertain and have fun together.
United Way president Robert Godfrey said everything is coming together well and they are looking forward to reaching this year's goal of $350,000.
"We're on track to have an excellent event. Bid items are rolling in as expected, and we continue to take those items in," Godfrey said.
Bid items were on display at Murray GM until after their kick-off to the telethon lunch on Oct. 12. Then the items will be moved over for display and bidding at the legion hall for the days of the telethon.
The entertainment list is filling with many wonderful local acts. Most artists will be coming into the legion to perform live. There will be a few pre-recorded pieces. Godfrey said the community will be treated to some well-known returning performers and groups, but they also will have a few surprises this year.
"Our entertainment committee brought in some new opportunities this year. We've got a couple of exercise classes and a dance class that we're just looking for some volunteers to participate in. We also have a baking competition," Godfrey said.
He noted that for the baking competition, they are looking for local cooks to submit some food. And then judges will decide whose culinary art is the best.
"The great thing about that competition, which will be a part of our entertainment schedule, is that if you're not comfortable going on TV, the baking part of the competition isn't televised. So you can still provide baking for that and not have to go on TV if you don't want to, which is excellent. It's going to be fun, and we just want to get a few more volunteers participating to make these events perfect."
For this year, students from elementary schools from around town will be coming back to the legion to perform live.
"This is the first time we have had the schools coming to the legion since before the pandemic, and we're really excited. The schools performing at the telethon is a huge part of our entertainment schedule, and if you ask anyone on the board, it's one of our favourite parts of Friday. It really makes the day so fun. So we're super thankful to be able to have the opportunity to have all these students come back and join us," Godfrey said.
There will be some new performers as well, and Godfrey said they are very thankful to everyone who stepped up, brought something new to their entertainment lineup and joined them in this big community effort.
Members of the Estevan Comprehensive School student representative council will again take over the night shift starting at midnight and continuing up until 6 a.m. Godfrey noted that not only does this great partnership allow for some rest for other members, but it also creates great opportunities for students.
"For SRC takeover, they really come in and they run the entire show for us. They take over the entertainment, they do activities, they do singing, they do dancing, they do everything. But on top of that, they run the production side as well, like running the cameras, working in our production truck, manning the phones, working the host table, running pretty much everything," Godfrey said.
"They just do such an amazing, amazing job of it. So we're super thankful to have them. And what's been really awesome this year, is we've actually had some members of the SRC that have been joining our weekly board meetings, which has been super helpful. They've been able to provide us with a lot of insight about what they want to see at the telethon. That's a big thing for us is planning for the future and making sure that we're moving in a direction that is inclusive and entertaining to all ages, including the younger demographic."
He added that having youth actively involved in the telethon also makes them hopeful that they will one day join the board and keep the great event and tradition going for many years to come.
"Part of the reason that we wanted them to join us was that they are the future of this community. And they're the future of United Way Estevan. So having them at the board table ensures that when we make decisions, we're making them so that they're inclusive to everyone," Godfrey said. "The other part of that is, I think, for the students being a part of this, it also really helps build that volunteerism, helps them understand the importance of non-profit organizations and the importance of participating in a board. And we're hoping that [one day] they will come back and want to be a part of our board and other boards in the community as well."
While most preparations for the telethon are almost wrapped-up, if anyone is interested in joining the event as a volunteer or performer, it's still not too late. They can contact the United Way Estevan at 306-634-7375 for more information and to sign up.
"Any way you want to get involved in the telethon, whether it's volunteering, participating in the entertainment or even submitting a bid item if you haven't done so already. If you call the United Way Estevan office, they can get you all set up and connected and ready for the telethon," Godfrey said.
He also invited the community to come over or watch the telethon on TV or online to enjoy the results of hundreds of hours of their efforts.
"Come on out, watch the telethon in person at the legion hall or on the Access Now TV or streaming, we'll have a link on unitedwayestevan.com. And please, if you can, support us by donating money. It all stays in this community and goes to our member agencies and community impact projects."
If you would like to donate to the telethon, you can do that by phone at 306-340-4625, in person at the legion hall during the telethon, online at their website, and by e-transfer to etransfer@unitedwayestevan.com.
"We've made it incredibly easy … And we're really looking forward to raising and hopefully exceeding our $350,000 goal so that our member agencies and community impact projects can continue to provide such amazing and vital services to our community," Godfrey said.
