Helping families in need
Cape Bretoners raise $90,219.55 in support of annual Christmas Daddies Telethon
Miriam IngrahamPhillips knows the importance of Christmas and knew she could help in a small way.
IngrahamPhillips made the decision in early spring to raise money for less fortunate families through the annual Christmas Daddies Telethon.
The Margaree Centre native raised $510 for Christmas Daddies as part of her commitment of giving back to her community through Camp Courage, a program that introduces young women to careers as first-responders.
“I want children in my community to have a Christmas like I do each year,” said IngrahamPhillips. “I decided Christmas Daddies was the best fit for giving back and today we donated the money.”
In raising the money, the 16-year-old biked more than 100 kilometres on her bicycle around an eight-kilometre river near the family’s home this summer, collecting sponsors and donations from family, friends and neighbours.
She also made cupcakes for donations.
“I didn’t do it all at one time,” laughed the Cape Breton Highlands Education Centre/Academy student. “I biked over a period of time — I did it maybe two or three times a week and it ended up being closer to 200 kilometres.”
IngrahamPhillips, who hopes to one day be a paramedic, made the hour and 30 minute drive to Sydney to participate in her first-ever Christmas Daddies Telethon, held at the CTV studio on George Street, Saturday.
She made her cheque presentation to the telethon live on-air with CTV’s Kyle Moore shortly after the show began, around 11 a.m.
The 54th annual Christmas Daddies Telethon was held across the Maritimes on Saturday. Cape Breton raised $90,219.55 for the event with money staying in the community for those needing assistance during the holiday season.
In total, the telethon raised $446,187.10.
This year’s telethon was hosted by CTV personalities Jeff Hutcheson, Alyse Hand, Ryan MacDonald and Moore, and also feature special musical appearances by Matt Minglewood, Aaron Lewis, Robert Bouchard, Margaret MacPherson, Jennifer Sheppard and Laurel Martell.
Elvis and Jody IngrahamPhillips, taking pictures with their cellphones, couldn’t take the smiles off their faces when it was time for their daughter to make the donation.
“I was really proud of her because she kept saying how she wants children to have the same kind of Christmas she does,” said Jody. “I think we must be doing something right as parents because she feels pretty proud of what we do for our Christmas tradition.”
Jody said the family fully supported Miriam in her determination to raise money for the fundraiser.
“I was giving her reminders throughout the process — she has four other siblings, and they participated in riding their bikes with her as well,” she said. “We would even be out in the driveway cheering for her as she was finishing her ride — it’s a special and proud moment for us.”
Miriam was one of 24 females from Nova Scotia accepted into Camp Courage this year.
In order to be accepted, IngrahamPhillips wrote an essay on how she could make her community a better place, noting she wanted to help less fortunate families, which is why she believes Christmas Daddies was the right choice.
“It was a big deal for her to go to this camp,” said Jody IngrahamPhillips. “We were all supporting her through the process — it was such a learning experience for her and something I knew will benefit her.”
Miriam hopes to make Christmas Daddies an annual thing. She said she plans to participate in the event next year, but doesn’t know for sure what she will do to raise the money.