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39th Annual Child Development Association Telethon another success

Final tally roughly $85,500
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Comox Valley Child Development Association executive director Joanne Schroeder (left) is all smiles as the final tote board tally is posted at Sunday's CVCDA Telethon. The $85

Terry Farrell

Record staff

The final tote board tally read $85,009 at the conclusion of Sunday's Comox Valley Chid Development Association Telethon.

As it turns out, that was a little conservative.

“It will probably go up about $500 from that,” said CVCDA executive director Joanne Schroeder. "The raffle had a few hundred extra dollars in it once all the envelopes were opened, so I'd say we are looking at about $85,500.”

That equates to a 10 per cent increase over the 2013 total.

“That's very encouraging – it's amazing,” said Schroeder. “There are a lot of worthy causes out there, that's for sure. And this is a pretty small population that we have here to contribute.”

Schroeder said the Telethon continues to be a success due in large part to the support of the various service clubs in the Comox Valley.

“One of the things that really makes a difference for us, and I happily acknowledge, is the contributions from the service clubs - the Lions, the Rotary, Kiwanis, all of those groups have been long-time supporters of the Child Development Association and that's a big part of it.”

Now Schroeder and the CDA staff have some decisions to make - primarily, where does the money go?

The CDA opened its sensory room this summer, and there are still some equipment issues to address.

“There are a couple of things in the sensory room that we want to add,” said Schroeder. “The one sense that we do not have any particular equipment for at this time is smell. There is some neat equipment that we can get that (addresses) scents.”

“Other than that, all of the program managers do up a bit of a wish list, in regards to top priorities for their programs, so we will go from there.”

As for the Telethon itself, Schroeder said it was all about the volunteers.

“The number of people that are involved, it's well into the hundreds,” said Schroeder. “It's quite the collective effort and I certainly can not say enough about them, and about people like Pam Crowe, who has co-ordinated the Telethon for more years than she would ever want to tell you, and Edwin Grieve, who has been the production manager as well, for many, many years. And, of course, the Shaw folks.”

It made it all pretty easy for Schroeder to step in – this being her first year as the executive director of the CVCDA.

“Really, I just had to do what I was told, because everybody knew what was going on,” she said. “It's a pretty well-oiled machine.”

Well-oiled, and 39 years later, still an overwhelming success.

“Incredible,” said Schroeder. “Thank you to everyone.”

editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com

 



Terry Farrell

About the Author: Terry Farrell

Terry returned to Black Press in 2014, after seven years at a daily publication in Alberta. He brings 14 years of editorial experience to Comox Valley Record...
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