Rosetown donations help TeleMiracle reach record $10.5M total

EAGLE STAFF

Local fundraising efforts helped TeleMiracle reach a record total this year as the annual Saskatchewan telethon marked its 50th anniversary.

TeleMiracle 50 raised $10,521,072 during the 22-hour broadcast that concluded Sunday at 5 p.m. The funds support the Kinsmen Foundation, which provides Saskatchewan residents with assistance for medical travel as well as mobility and special needs equipment.

Rosetown’s Lynden Paquette performed at Telemiracle 50.

Rosetown Kinsmen contributed about $20,600 to the provincewide total, said club member Glenn McNally.

The club raised about $7,250 at its luncheon on Feb. 25, while those attending the event donated another $1,550.

More than $6,100 was also donated in memory of recently deceased Kinsmen member Peter Uhryn, including contributions made at his funeral, McNally said.

Other local fundraising included about $2,000 raised through a cornhole board raffle and another $1,000 from a raffle for a TeleMiracle blanket featuring logos from all 50 telethons.

Students at Rosetown Comprehensive School raised over $1,845 through a carnival, bake sale, pizza sale and dodgeball game.

Walter Aseltine School students contributed about $865 through a hat day, coin train and the sale of helping hands.

Rosetown was also represented on the TeleMiracle stage, where Lynden Paquette performed during the broadcast.

TeleMiracle 50 chair Tammy Blackwell thanked donors across the province for helping the telethon reach a historic total.

“Thank you for putting your trust in Saskatchewan’s show, TeleMiracle. Without your support, we could not have had the record-breaking year we did,” Blackwell said in a statement.

A historic bequest of $2.35 million from Alice Tindall helped push the telethon to its record total.

The show featured 70 performers from across Saskatchewan as part of the Saskatchewan Talent segment, along with video highlights celebrating five decades of TeleMiracle and appearances by several past TeleMiracle chairs.

“Thank you, Saskatchewan. The support you have shown us is incredible,” said Kinsmen Foundation executive director Danika Dinko. “Your support will directly improve the quality of life for so many Saskatchewan residents.”

With this year’s total, TeleMiracle has now raised more than $181 million over its 50-year history, supporting thousands of Saskatchewan families. All funds raised remain in the province.

TeleMiracle 51 is scheduled to return next year.