30 hour Telethon for Palliative Care Services returns in Brockville on Sunday
The 30 hour Telethon for Palliative Care Services is returning for its 39th edition on Saturday.
Funds raised from the telethon goes towards the Brockville and District Hospice Palliative Care Service.
The telethon is returning for the first time since 2020 after it was forced to cancel last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multiple events are tied to the telethon including an online auction by Hands Auction Services that started at 9 a.m. Monday. The auction ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
A radiothon hosted by MOVE 104.9 FM's Bruce Wylie takes place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wylie will be joined by MPP Steve Clark, Brockville General Hospital President and CEO Nick Vlacholias and Brockville Mayor Mike Kalivas during the broadcast.
The telethon then finishes up with a broadcast on YourTV (Cogeco) from the Brockville Arts Centre on Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wylie tells CTV News Ottawa that the ball was already rolling Friday morning giving those who are unable to participate over the weekend a chance to donate.
"We got some great support this morning. Over $10,000 raised to help kickstart the telethon tomorrow," Wylie said.
The 2020 telethon was a record year for the telethon with more than $250,000 raised. Wylie says anyway to support is helpful for the cause.
"I always say if you drop a quarter in a fish bowl, if you bought a palliative care star for $2 at one of the locations, if you bid on the silent auction, it doesn't matter what the amount is because it all adds up," Wylie said.
"Our fish bowls in 2020 raised over $12,000, the star program over $20,000, the auction over $15,000. So you can see that just by doing a little bit that you are part of a great success."
Fish bowls and Star donations are set up at various locations across Brockville and Prescott. Donations can also be dropped off in person at the Brockville Arts Centre both Saturday and Sunday.
"There are two major fundraisers, one is a golf tournament and the other is the telethon," Wylie added. "Together we raise over $500,000 for a program that cost's over $650,000 and it's not going down, the costs are going up so this is really, really important. If the community doesn't support it, it's not going to be there."
"Personally, my mom was in there a year ago in palliative care and i saw how important that service is," Wylie said. "We talk about dying with dignity, that's what it's all about and i know people are going to contribute this weekend."
Those who would like to make a donation online or by mail can visit the 30 hour Telethon for Palliative Care Services website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.
'Somebody's got to pay' for air travel: WestJet makes pitch to Ottawa
WestJet is asking the federal government to put measures in place to lower ticket costs for travellers, but questions remain on who would foot the bill.