Murray Wood: Who's scary... and who's scary good?
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week, in a specia...
It’s almost time to ring those phones to give back to Saskatchewan.
Richard Kies, executive director of the Kinsmen Foundation, said people can expect to see some familiar faces and some new ones during this year’s telethon. The event starts Saturday evening.
Kies — whose charity is funded through TeleMiracle — told CKOM’s Mark Loshack on Friday the cast has been in Saskatoon all week and some of them even made an appearance at the Soup Cook-Off at the Winter Shines festival.
“The buzz is definitely happening around town, and we’re ready to go,” Kies said.
This year, some new faces will be gracing the stage, Kies said, such as instrumentalist Jake Vaadeland, Saskatchewan Paralympian Lisa Franks and basketball player Michael Linklater.
“The nice part about our cast is that (almost) everyone is from Saskatchewan,” Kies said.
Kies said people can expect to see some familiar faces too, such as Canadian artists Beverly Mahood and Brad Johner.
Other veterans of the show will include entertainers Jeffery Straker, Jill Straker, and Jess Moskaluke.
“We’ve got donations big and small, and every dollar counts,” Kies said, noting some surprise announcements will happen during the 20-hour telethon.
Jeff Straker, a long-time host of the TeleMiracle event, told CJME’s Greg Morgan on Friday that his 12-year journey with TeleMiracle has evolved, and over time he started to realize what an impact each phone call and dollar had on the province.
“I’ve become an emotional wreck by the end of the thing. I’m really into this,” Straker said.
Straker said this year’s event will have a special tribute to Bob McGrath, an original member of the Sesame Street cast and a longtime host of TeleMiracle. McGrath died last December.
Straker said ever since the first TeleMiracle, McGrath made an effort over 40 years to visit Saskatchewan from the United States.
“He brought this incredible gentlemanly presence to his participation in the show,” Straker said. “He was a great children’s entertainer. He could bring out the child in anybody. He’ll be dearly missed, and he’ll get some very deserving tributes during the show.”
TeleMiracle 47’s main show starts at 9 p.m., following the pre-show at 6:15 p.m.
