Easter Seals Telethon Triumphs Through Adversity and Raises Over $92,000

After having to postpone this year’s telethon, the Easter Seals Telethon raised over $92,000 on Sept. 26.

Easter Seals Telethon hosts from 2019. Photo courtesy of Easter Seals Peterborough.

Due to COVID-19, this year had hosts standing alone in the studio with pre-recorded visits with the kids.

The event’s hosts included Stu Harrison, Graham Hart, Mike Melnik, Teresa Kazsuba, Catherine Hanrahan and Caley Bedore.

“With a significantly reduced volunteer team, and a handful of hosts, we hosted the 49th Easter Seals Telethon in Peterborough last weekend and it was a huge success,” said Coralie Jacobs, Easter Seals Manager of Development, Eastern Ontario. “Our host team did an amazing job of sharing the stories of our families and Easter Seals kids and making the ask on their behalf, and the phones started ringing and didn’t stop.”

Ryerson Beardmore took the spotlight as the Easter Seals Peterborough ambassador for the second year.

Easter Seals Ontario has received record-high numbers in requests for equipment funding for children with disabilities.

“This has been a difficult 18 plus months for a lot of us, but for children with physical disabilities and their families the challenges have truly been extraordinary,” said Jacobs. “The ongoing lockdowns, restrictions, and delays have meant there are still so many children living at home without the essential equipment that would provide them with greater dignity as well as safety in the home for both the kids and their caregivers.”

To donate to the Easter Seals click here.

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