At this year’s Telemiracle event in Saskatoon, Estevan’s Kinsmen and Kinettes bid adieu to beloved event favourite and honourary Kinette Bob McGrath.
On their way to raising more than $4.3 million over the weekend telethon, special attention was given to McGrath, famous for his long-running role on Sesame Street, who appeared at Telemiracle for the final time. He has been a fixture at the event and host for more than 30 years. The City of Saskatoon declared March 8 Bob McGrath Day in the city.
Estevan’s contingent of about 13 Kinsmen and Kinette members included Susan Colbow, vice president of the local Kinettes and the manpower chair for Telemiracle 39.
“It was awesome. It was emotional because it was Bob’s last year,” said Colbow on Monday from Saskatoon. “That was kind of sad, but other than that, it was good.”
She said the Saskatchewan Kin district will dearly miss McGrath who endeared himself to members who took part in Telemiracle every year.
“He is the centre of the show almost. He has been there so long that the show is not the same if he’s not there. He is always excited to be there. He’s always friendly, and he’s so grateful for everything we do,” said Colbow.
The local Kin clubs have been fundraising for Telemiracle since last summer through various events around Estevan like Teeing Off for Miracles golf tournament, steak nights, a toonies for Telemiracle matinee show at the Orpheum Theatre and sold hats at an Estevan Bruins hockey game.
Colbow said the donation haul they received at the hockey game even topped what the Prince Albert club was able to pull in from their efforts at a Prince Albert Raiders Western Hockey League game.
“Estevan was very generous at the Bruins hockey game,” said Colbow, noting the Kinettes raised more than $2,300 heading up to the Telemiracle event.
For Colbow, returning to Telemiracle is a great chance to meet up with other Kin members from around the province and put on a show.
“It’s lots of fun. There’s lots of kinship. There are lots of people that you meet only once a year at Telemiracle,” she said.
Brad Johner and his boys performed once again at the event. Brad has been performing for about 15 years and is an honourary Estevan Kinette. This year, his brother Ken performed as well, and they are preparing for a reunion tour playing the hits they made popular in the 1990s.
