House donated to start TV2 telethon

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34104, 17 March 1976, Page 4

House donated to start TV2 telethon

The first major contribution to TV2’s fund-raising telethon to be held on July 3 and 4, is a $25,000 house powered partly by solar energy.

The telethon will raise money for the National Children’s Health Foundation in a five-centre network production.

TV2’s community programmes manager, Don Hutchings, says he is delighted with the new house. "Details of the auction have yet to be worked out, but we will probably call for tenders from the five centres,” he said.

"We also hope that it will be fully furnished, already on a section of land and that there will be a car in the garage.” This year, the telethon will involve about 2500 people. In addition TV2 is asking organisations and sponsors considering community events before the telethon to donate proceeds to the Children’s Health Foundation.

“A fireworks display is planned in Auckland on Anzac Day and the organisers have agreed to give the proceeds to the telethon charity,” Don Hutchings said. TV2 is also planning a major drive to inform people exactly what uses the National Children’s Health Foundation has in mind for the thousands of dollars expected from the telethon. A series of short programmes entitled "Telethon Report” will be screened from April 1. The channel is also preparing publicity material on the work, aims and projects covered by the foundation.

The telethon will rely on the goodwill and voluntary effort of many people, including TV2 staff. Efforts are being made, through liaison committees in each centre, to ensure staff are fully informed.

Don Hutchings says letters have been sent to every major production house in the world inviting TV personalities to visit New Zealand and take part in the telethon. As there is more time for planning this year, it is hoped a number of overseas personalities will be visiting Christchurch, as well as Auckland.

The house to be auctioned is being donated and built by a group of companies led by Keith Hay Homes. It has been nlanned hv the errhi.

tecture and engineering faculties of Auckland University. Some time ago these faculties began a project to design an energy-saving home powered partly from solar energy to supplement the usual electricity supply. When a family eventually moves into it, university and other experts will monitor its systems and gather comparative data.