Fund-raising events invited for Telethon

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 5

Fund-raising events invited for Telethon

Television New Zealand is ready and waiting for people to organise fundraising events for this year’s Telethon.

Funds from Telethon 85, on June 28 and 29, will go to the Child and Youth Development Trust. The money will than be distributed to groups helping children and young people, from birth to the age of 18. Applications are now being called from groups wishing to be considered for grants from the trust. A Christchurch Telethon office has been set up behind the TVNZ shop in the Triangle Centre, and planning is well under way for the 24-hour event.

So far, a few fund-raisers have put forward Telethon K'ects, but the producer, Gabara, expects a lot more.

“I hope that people who want to join in this year’s Telethon will come to see us soon with their ideas . . .

when there is more time to talk them over, instead of a last-minute rush at the end of June,” he said yesterday. One novel idea has come from the Council for Recreation and Sport which, in conjunction with Telethon, is appealing to sport and recreation groups throughout New Zealand to give an hour of their time.

The concept of “give us an hour — we’ll give them a future” calls for sports clubs to be sponsored by the public for giving an hour to a community activity. The proceeds go to Telethon. “In the past, people have concentrated mainly on zany ways of raising money,” Mr Gabara said. “With this project, Telethon would encourage efforts helping the whole community.” For example, instead of being sponsored for running laps of a sports field, a group would be sponsored for running the length of a

local beach, collecting litter as it went.

The Weight Watchers organisation has also pitched in by giving money to Telethon as its members lose weight. From now until June 28, the national organisation, which has 225 classes, will give $1 for every kilogram of weight lost by its members.

An area that may benefit from Telethon 85 is research and support for cot deaths. New Zealand has one of the highest rates of cot deaths in the world, an average of three in 1000 babies dying. Child abuse is particularly prevalent in New Zealand. Ten children every day are sexually abused. Counselling programmes and other prevention programmes have been set up to deal with the problem, and Telethon will help to support these and other groups.