Waban telethon raises more than $80,000 By Shawn P. Sullivan Sanford News Editor Thursday, March 20, 2014 Picture Click image to enlarge Jan Fraser, left, a past executive director of Waban, and host Kevin Mannix, of WCSH Channel 6, chat during the Waban Telethon at the St. Ignatius Parish Hall on March 15. (courtesy photo by Selena Brock) SANFORD — Waban Executive Director Neal Meltzer said it best when putting the haul for last weekend’s Waban Telethon into perspective. Gas might cost more than $3.60 a gallon, he noted in a grateful letter to the public. Oil may have recently made a stark jump in price too. And, of course, many consider this the longest and coldest winter in recent memory. All the same, none of those expensive and bone-weary factors could keep the community from opening its wallets and checkbooks and donating to the annual Waban Telethon. “Individuals, businesses, and organizations came together and demonstrated their unflagging support of the programs at Waban by raising $80,112,” Meltzer announced on Monday morning. Waban held its 43rd annual telethon at the St. Ignatius Parish Hall on Riverside Avenue on Saturday, March 15. The all-day event included singers and dancers and a skit by children, raffles, testimonials by parents and guardians whose children benefit from Waban’s services, and refreshments and meals served by the Knights of Columbus. Picture Click image to enlarge Kenny Bear, the mascot of Kennebunk Savings Bank, delights children during the annual Waban Telethon last Saturday. (courtesy photo by Selena Brock) St. Therese of Lisieux Parish once again sponsored the telethon, and Father Philip Tracy kicked off the on-air contributions with $2,000 from his parish. Metrocast and Time-Warner Cablevision provided TV coverage of the event that reached across much of Maine and New Hampshire. Last year, the telethon raised $90,403. In the past 43 years, since 1971, the event has raised more than $2.07 million, not counting last weekend’s take. Waban continues to use its telethon funds for developmental therapy, specialized equipment, therapeutic recreation, and other educational and habilitation-based services for children who attend Waban’s Fraser-Ford Child Development Center or who receive services from the Children’s Case Management Program. In the course of one year, the Fraser-Ford Child Development Center provides service to more than 150 children ages 3 through 5 and the Infant Toddler Program supports more than 40 children ages 2 1/2 and younger, while the Children’s Case Management Program provides services to more than 175 children and their families. All the children have special needs that require individualized programming and specialized training and equipment. Picture Click image to enlarge The Ben Guillemette Band, a perennial favorite at the Waban Telethon, jams and entertains the crowd during the fundraiser at the St. Ignatius Parish Hall on March 15. (courtesy photo by Selena Brock) At the telethon each year, Waban presents “Making a Difference” awards to individuals who either work at Waban or volunteer there and have shown long-standing passion and commitment to the organization. This year, Waban presented the awards to staffers Marie Kingsbury and Sandra Flynn and volunteers Mark and Matt Rouillard, of Central Furniture, for their family’s many contributions and show of support to the organization. The Normand family made a donation in memory of Marie and Andy Normand, known as “the penny people,” who for years collected thousands and thousands of dollars in pennies for Waban. Meteorologist Kevin Mannix, of WCSH Channel 6, returned as the telethon’s host this year, as did longtime volunteering brothers RJ and Jim Legere and Melissa Hall, of Waban. Some of the telethon’s larger donors included Doris and Val Grondin and Rosemary Frank, who contributed $4,100 in pennies that they collected and General Electric will match; Evonik-CYRO Industries, $3,500; the Sanford Knights of Columbus Fraternal Association and State Council, $3,427; St. Therese of Liseux Parish and AMVETS Post 3, $2,000 each; American Security Alarm, the Knights of Columbus’ Springvale Social Club, O-N Enterprise Bowl-A-Rama and SIS Bank, $1,500 each; Metrocast, $1,200; the St. Thomas Knights of Columbus, $1,112; Sanford Amtgard LARP, $1,100; Marc Motors, $1,002; and Claudette Haq, Fresco Mexican Grill & Community Smoothie, Garnsey Brothers Insurance, H.M. Payson, Patco Construction, Pratt & Whitney and Sanford Flooring, all $1,000 each. Picture Click image to enlarge Cloggers from Northern Explosion Dance Studio entertain the audience with their fancy footwork during the annual Waban Telethon at the St. Ignatius Parish Hall on Saturday, March 15. (courtesy photo by Selena Brock) “In addition to large business donations of goods and services from Central Furniture and Landry’s Furniture, there were many other large and small personal and business donors, too numerous to mention, that were instrumental in making the Telethon such a huge success,” Waban stated in a news release. “Waban is exceptionally grateful and appreciative for all the tremendous support we received from all the volunteers and donors both before and during the telethon.”
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 12:54:21 +0000
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