TELETHON COLLECTS $233,495; NATIONALLY, OVER $45 MILLION RAISED

The 26th annual Muscular Dystrophy Telethon over the Labor Day weekend raised $233,495 in the 38-county local region and a record $45,071,857 nationwide.

Last year the telethon raised more than $44 million nationally and $218,193 in the Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and western Kentucky district.

The local figure tops last year's district total by more than $15,000, said Ken Lucy, district director for the MDA. "It averages out to about $10,600 an hour," Lucy said of the telethon total for this year.

"I am continually amazed and thoroughly grateful" over the success of the telethon, Lucy said at the conclusion of the fund-raiser Monday night.

"I thought we could sweat, we could pull teeth, do everything we could to do $218,000," said Lucy. "I didn't even in my wildest dreams think it would hit $233,000."

The 22-hour entertainment spectacular was broadcast locally on KFVS-TV starting at 8 p.m. Sunday and ending at 6 p.m. Monday.

National segments, hosted by comedian and MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis, originated from the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas.

The studio audience at Sahara Hotel tossed confetti into the air and cheered as the tote board went over last year's record. Lewis cheered again and shot a fist into the air when the total went over $45 million.

Local segments of the telethon were hosted by Channel 12 personalities Don McNeely, Mary-Ann Maloney and Steve Stewart.

McNeely and Maloney emceed activities from West Park Mall, while Stewart directed the MDA activities at the DuQuoin State Fair in Southern Illinois.

Volunteers answered telephones and accepted pledges at West Park Mall, the DuQuoin State Fair, and at pledge centers in other towns in the region.

In all, about 900 volunteers assisted with the local activities of the telethon, said Lucy.

He said Kroger is the largest single telethon sponsor in the 38-county region. Last year Kroger stores contributed $33,000 to the district. At this year's telethon the company contributed $54,000.

"The goal was to beat last year's (district) total. We did it before the last hour was over. We had that whipped at about a quarter 'til 5 (p.m.)," said Lucy.

Phone pledges in the district, he said, were up "double digits" over last year's telethon.

This was the first year that fund-raising activities were held at the DuQuoin State Fair as part of the telethon.

Lucy said he was pleased at the donations solicited at the fair. "The fair gave us an ideal location: free, right in the center, next to the governor's tent."

The hot, humid weather also aided the telethon, said Lucy. "You know weather plays a greater role in what the pledges will be than your economy."

When the weather is hot and humid, "they pretty much stay close to home," said Lucy. The result, he said, is that more people will watch the telethon.

Hundreds of people witnessed portions of the local segments of the telethon broadcast from West Park Mall.

More than 700 people crowded around the local telethon set at West Park Mall as the end of the telethon approached, Lucy said.

Both nationally and regionally the MDA telethon is a Labor Day tradition, Lucy said.

"I think also frankly we do a good job of telling people what we will do with the money we ask from them," he said. "They know we are not going to waste money on fund-raising costs and administrative costs."

Actor Jameson Parker fought back tears as his daughter, 6-year-old Katherine, who suffers from a sometimes fatal form of muscular dystrophy, told Lewis, "Thank you for letting me smile."

Parker said of Lewis, "He's given hope to millions of people who had no hope."

The telethon drew a handful of protesters outside the Sahara Hotel and at a telethon headquarters in Los Angeles. Protesters charged that the telethon's costs were too high and those afflicted were being depicted as "helpless human beings."

But Lucy said such charges are groundless. "I take offense at that as somebody who is integral in putting the telethon on because we do not do those things. We show the positive aspect.

"It takes MDA about 24 cents of every dollar to raise a dollar and run the organization," said Lucy. He said that the organization ranks near the top in terms of the lowest overhead costs for a charity.

Jerald Friedman, president of the association's Los Angeles chapter, said independent audits have shown that the association has one of the lowest overhead costs of five top charities.

Lewis kicked off the telethon by saying his goal was the survival of muscular dystrophy sufferers. "I want my kids to live. I don't ask you to pity them," said Lewis. "I'm asking you to keep them alive."

Over the years, Lewis has raised more than $570 million for MDA from the telethon that bears his name.

(Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press.)