‘Phenomenal’ support sees Telemiracle 44 raise $5.5M
LYNN GIESBRECHT AND ARTHUR WHITE-CRUMMEY
Charlene Eger rolled into this year’s Telemiracle in a top-of-theline power wheelchair, and she’s eager to show it off.
It can lift her high enough to reach her cupboards, or to hug her brother, practically face-to-face. It’s given her independence — paid for through the generosity of Telemiracle.
She sat through two days of excitement, as the phones rang and rang. Telemiracle 44 raised $5,523,472 to pay for mobility devices, communication aids and medical trips for Saskatchewan people.
“It’s phenomenal what they do every year, and it helps so many people,” said Eger, who was born with spina bifida. “It’s really given them quality of life.”
It wasn’t quite a record. Telemiracle 44 raised less than the $5.6 million donated through Telemiracle 43, or the record-setting $7.15 million from 2018’s telethon.
But Egen left feeling inspired by the energy of the show, as the numbers climbed higher and higher.
Her friend Tina Millar worked the phones for an hour, taking about 20 calls. Millar, who has an intellectual disability, said it “feels amazing ” to be part of the magic. It’s moving for her to think of what Telemiracle has already done for Eger.
“The fact that she’s got her independence back. It makes me so emotional,” Millar said.
Both women raved about this year’s performances, including from country singer-songwriter Beverley Mahood.
Mahood volunteered with Telemiracle for the first time in 1998, when her first single was making its way up the charts.
She thought she would only be singing that year, but she quickly found herself thrown into helping host the live television event.
“I didn’t talk in those days,” Mahood joked in a recent interview.
“It’s funny how fast you become comfortable talking because then you see and you hear the stories, and it’s easy when you’re dealing with people that are here for one reason ... to raise money.”
She fell in love with the adrenalin-pumping event, and has volunteered with Telemiracle every year since then.
Through the late night and early morning hours, Mahood said the inspirational stories keeps her wide-awake and motivated.
“At the end of the 20 hours, your feet are sore, but your cheeks are sore because you’re smiling and you’re so grateful and just honoured to be part of something that’s so special,” she said.
Last year Mahood talked fellow singer-songwriter Mac Shepherd into joining her as a volunteer at the event. He returned this year after seeing the impact Telemiracle has on the province.
While he enjoyed the fast pace of the show, he also appreciated the provincewide tour he went on before the event as part of Telemiracle’s national cast. Meeting people who have benefited from the fundraising really stood out to him.
“There’s so much that this province does that not many other places in the world do, so it was really cool for me to be a part of it last year, and then to be a part of it again this year,” he said.
This year was country singer Chris Henderson’s fifth time being part of Telemiracle’s national cast, and he is always amazed at how many people are touched by its generosity.
“I’ve got tons of friends and people I’ve known that have come up to me and said, ‘Hey Telemiracle’s helped me,’ and that’s why I believe in it,” he said.
“I leave every year just feeling better about the world.”