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Last touch-ups taking place before Telethon

The United Way Estevan is finishing up all preparations for their main fundraiser of the year. The Telethon will kick off at 8 a.m. Friday with the opening ceremony and ECS jazz performance at the Legion Hall.
Foord
United Way Estevan board president Becca Foord. File photo

The United Way Estevan is finishing up all preparations for their main fundraiser of the year. The Telethon will kick off at 8 a.m. Friday with the opening ceremony and ECS jazz performance at the Legion Hall.

The 43rd annual United Way Estevan Telethon has a rich and diverse 33-hour-long entertainment program, woven with interviews with local organizations and member agencies.

The program will run from 8 a.m. on Oct. 18 until 5 p.m. on Oct. 19. All the main preparations are done, and now board members and volunteers are just putting up last touches.

“It’s coming together very well. We are in the last couple of days to get ready for it. A lot of things are organized, a lot of things are planned for the next Friday and Saturday,” said Becca Foord, who is this year’s United Way Estevan board president.

She noted that once again the Telethon has come quickly, and once again it’s going to be really good.

This year’s goal is $340,000, and proceeds will be directed to the United Way’s 15 member agencies and its community partners. 

As of Oct. 12, the entertainment schedule was almost completely full. There were no openings or breaks other than the middle of the night.

“We have everything basically scheduled from 8 a.m. on Friday until 5 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, which is absolutely amazing,” said Foord.

The United Way Estevan also received over 60 bid items, which are currently being organized. The pictures of bid items will be published online and on the United Way Estevan’s Facebook page, so people can have a look at them prior to the telethon.

“There is a couple of businesses in town that have already started fundraising for us. Kingston Midstream did the Cooks that Cook fundraiser … for us, and proceeds of that go towards the United Way,” said Foord.

The company usually doesn’t announce the total raised until the day or two before the telethon.

“They like to keep it a surprise for us, which is nice,” said Foord.

Murray GM will do a kick-off to telethon on Oct. 16.

“Black Beards is providing a beef on a bun lunch… on Wednesday at Murray GM for a donation to the United Way. And people can come in and give the donations earlier if they know they are not going to be in town,” said Foord.

Facilities are mainly ready to go and the big set up will start on Thursday.

The board is still looking for a few more volunteers.

“If anybody would like to volunteer, we are absolutely open for some volunteers,” said Foord. “There are some spots during the afternoon on Friday and Saturday.”

She noted that volunteering and even just attending the telethon is always a great way to meet new friends and have a great time with people from the community.

“Come out Friday and Saturday. If you are new to the community and you want to see what we are about, come. We are wandering around, you ‘ll see one of us, ask us questions. Come check out the entertainment,” said Foord.

This year United Way received a lot of support from the Estevan Comprehensive School, which is sending their SRC groups to once again take over at night.

“Not all of us have to stay overnight. They come over, provide activities and games and provide their own entertainment basically for the whole middle of the night until about 6 in the morning, which is absolutely amazing. It’s great to see these young kids, I guess young adults out there helping and giving their time towards a good cause,” said Foord.

ECS also provides a lot of entertainment throughout the days, including ColdStare band that is slated to perform at 12 a.m. on Saturday.

The theme of this year's telethon is Give Where You Live, which was taken quite well by the community.

“People have reacted to it greatly… (It) has generated a lot of buzz in the community. I know that a lot of businesses in town have started using it as their slogan to help promote the United Way,” said Foord. “It’s just a really good thing. It helps people remember that the United Way and the money that comes in from the United Way Estevan it stays in our community, we give it back to our community.”

Local popular folk/root trio Hook & Nail will wrap up the big event. Their performance is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Oct. 19.

“We’ve got a very, very full schedule and a very busy weekend… And we are just so excited and we are very thankful to the community for helping us do this for year after year after year and be so successful in what we do,” said Foord.

The full entertainment schedule can be found last week’s Southeast Lifestyles and this week’s edition of the Mercury. 

People can watch the 43rd United Way Estevan Telethon on TV through Access Channel 7, online at unitedwayestevan.com or in person at the Legion Hall.

For the first time this year, on top of other options to donate the United Way Estevan has launched e-transfers. If anybody prefers to transfer money directly from their bank account, they can send an e-transfer to treasurer@unitedwayestevan.com.