The first Sunday in November means one thing in the Comox Valley - Telethon Day!
The 48th annual Comox Valley Child Development Association Telethon plays out from noon to 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 at the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay, and the entire community is invited to come down and take in the fun in person.
“This year, one of the special moments is we have a video coming out to pay tribute to some of the telethon volunteers and donors who have passed on in the past year,” said CVCDA executive director, Cindy Xavier. “That will tie into our legacy donation that we will be announcing.”
Buddy, the telethon mascot, will return this year, and one new addition to the entertainment slate is the Quarantones, in the 4-5 p.m. segment. Also Stealing Dan, who made a virtual visit at the 2022 telethon, will be live on stage this year, at 7 p.m.
Organizers are expecting a lot of fans in attendance between 3-4 p.m., as Fred Penner will take to the stage, immediately after Desmond Day.
“Interestingly, last year… it was not the children that were as excited as it was the parents,” said Xavier. “He was a big draw for people in their late 30s, and early 40s, who would have grown up with Fred Penner. So it was really nice seeing all the parents coming out to see Fred, as much as their kids, and sharing the history of their own childhood with their kids.”
Money raised this year will go toward a major capital project.
“We are still working towards the replacement of our therapy building,” said Xavier. “We’ve put some funds towards that capital project over the past couple of years of fundraising… but it’s not a small project, so we are hoping to get to the planning process in the near future.”
One of the challenges for the replacement building is trying to do so in the least imposing way possible.
“The intention is to build, and use as much of the space as we can, during construction,” said Xavier. “It really is important to keep our services in a centralized location for our families. It just makes it easier for them, than having to go to different places. It’s also important for our team. They consult with each other quite regularly throughout the day, around families that they provide services to.”
The therapy building houses the CVCDA physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.
Xavier commended the telethon committee for all the work done in preparation for Sunday’s big event.
“Our telethon committee is a committee of about eight to 10 people, and for the amount of people that we have on the committee to plan the telethon, a lot gets done,” she said. “We have staff on the committee, as well as volunteering at the telethon… every year, staff is asking how they can get involved, so we do quite a bit with them. And then of course there is the community of volunteers, from those who sit at the telephone table, to all the performers and MCs. There are hundreds of people who volunteer for the telethon each year.”
A couple of notable events that have already taken place to raise money for the telethon include a Kenny Shaw concert Oct. 27 at St. George’s United, as well as a month-long ‘Charity Tap Takeover’ at Church St. Taphouse, where $1 from every pint of their special charity tap will go towards the CVCDA. Both those events will be recognized during the telethon.
And, as usual, the Baynes Sound Lions Club Wheelbarrow Walkers will hit the highway Sunday morning, collecting funds along the way.
The Lions will start their walk at 8:30 a.m., setting off on a 32-kilometre trek, pushing a wheelbarrow from Fanny Bay, northbound up Highway 19A and ending up on the telethon stage around 5 p.m.
“It’s always amazing to me, to think that they cover that much territory,” said Xavier. “I do hope the weather stays good for them. They do it rain or shine… last year one of the group members was in her 90s! The community waits for them to come down the road so they can give their donations - it’s just heartwarming.”
For more information, to donate, to buy a raffle ticket, or to bid on a silent auction item, visit https://www.cvcda.ca/telethon/