Verner Presse, board chair of the Lions Children’s Christmas Telethon, said while this year's telethon faced some challenges, the spirit of giving and community involvement shone brightly.
The telethon, a cornerstone event for the community, aimed to raise $25,000 but fell short by approximately $9,000. Despite this, Presse remains optimistic, encouraging donations via direct transfer or PayPal to meet their commitments.
"We're down a bit this year, which I'm hoping that we're still going to get some donations coming in the door to help us meet our obligation,” Presse noted. ”But other than that, it went well."
The need for assistance has notably increased this year, with over 600 families applying for help, a significant rise from the 400 families last year. Each family receives a "basket" – a collection of gifts and a festive dinner. The cost per basket is estimated at $300 to $350, varying due to differing deals secured by local clubs.
The telethon itself was a success in terms of entertainment and volunteer involvement. Presse praised the extraordinary efforts of the Lions and volunteers and the participation of Canadore students and professors, emphasizing that the event's success was a collective effort.
"It was fantastic. It went really, really well this year. We have a lot of really good entertainment, and the Lions and volunteers were just phenomenal,” he said. "I just like to take my hat off to the volunteers and just thank them for such an awesome job because it wouldn't happen without them."
To those who have donated, Presse extends heartfelt thanks, acknowledging the importance of their contributions. He also highlighted the innovative ways some organizations have supported the cause, such as donating funds initially allocated for corporate Christmas parties.
“When we sit down and have our turkey dinner, it's not a really comfortable feeling if you're thinking that for the person next door... It's not going to happen. We have enough, so we have to make sure that we share so everybody has some."
“It's a great way to put a smile on children’s faces at Christmas time,” Presse concluded, inviting everyone to be a part of this heartwarming tradition.
You can still donate
- Online or via PayPal: www.lionschildrenstelethon.com
- E-transfer: [email protected]
The Lions Children’s Christmas Telethon serves areas including Arnstein, Bonfield, Burk’s Falls, Callander, Kearney, Mattawa, Restoule, Rutherglen, South River, Strong, and Sundridge.
Everyone is encouraged to contribute to this cause, ensuring a brighter holiday season for families in need.
Thank you
The Lions Children's 2023 Christmas Telethon would like to extend a big thank you to all of their sponsors, supporters, and the staff and students of the Television and Video Production program at Canadore College of Applied Arts and Technology.
Sponsors:
- Your TV
- Cogeco
- Canadore College
- Scotia Bank
- Scotia Bank Mattawa
- BayToday
Advertisers:
- BayToday
- North Bay Nugget
- Great North Arrow
- Jet FM
- KISS 100.5
- 101.9 Rock
- 600 Country CKAT
- KFM
- Nipissing Reader
- The Bay and Area
- All Local Libraries
Food Sponsors:
- Alan & Michelle's No Frills
- Food Basics
- Good2Go
- Greco's Pizza Algonquin
- Mr Pancho
- The Sub Palace
- Topper's Pizza
- Dr Pizza
- Casey's
- A&W
- FreshCo
- Orchards
- Between the Buns
- Jeff & Tanis No Frills
- East Side Marios
- Wacky Wings
- Tim Horton's Drury Lane
- Subway Shirreff
- Burger World Algonquin
- Moose Cookhouse
- Boston Pizza
- Little Caesars
- Harvey's
A big thank you to:
- Sam Harvey
- Jake Forsyth
- Bradford Bourque
- Kaden King Gasaretto
- Rik Sokolowicz
- Ben Legget
- Andre Wahl
- Peter Nickle
- Dean Belanger
- Vikki Tyler
- Hillside Funeral Home
- Rebuilt Resources
- Northern Occasions
- Lions Zones 17N, 17C, 12N
- Lewis Motor Sales North Bay
- Caisse Alliance-Bonfield Branch
- Cascades Casino North Bay c/o Gateway Gives
- Town of Kearney
Many thanks to all of the awesome entertainers for donating time and talent to make another successful Telethon.