NEWS RELEASE
EASTER SEALS
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Don’t miss Sunday’s Easter Seals Telethon
Tune in, call, pledge, and help kids be kids!
This Sunday, Mar. 26, the Sault’s largest fundraiser for children with physical disabilities will be taking place from 12 noon to 6 p.m., and you’re encouraged to participate from the comfort of your own home! Sault Ste. Marie’s 35th annual Easter Seals Telethon will be live on Shaw TV cable channel 10.
Pledges can be called in during the broadcast to 705-254-KIDS, or pledges can be made online any time leading up to and during the telethon here.
“As a mother of a child with physical disabilities I have seen and experienced firsthand the generosity of the community and the assistance of Easter Seals,” shared Easter Seals Telethon Co-Chair Jane Martynuck, “They say it takes a village to raise a child. No truer words are said when it comes to raising a child with physical disabilities.”
“Easter Seal families are faced with huge financial costs year after year as their children grow. A wheelchair alone can cost $32,000 to purchase,” points out Lori Amendola, Telethon co-chair. “As their child grows such items as wheelchairs and other mobility equipment, communication devices, house ramps and bathing equipment all need to be purchased and upgraded. This is a huge financial burden for a family to face.”
“Augumentive communication devices can cost $10,000,” Martynuck added. “Your donation can give a child a voice so that they can express their wants and needs or simply say mom or dad.”
Easter Seals also owns and operates two summer camps. “At these fully accessible camps children have the opportunity to be like any other child,” shared Martynuck, whose son has been a camper for the last five years. “They are given the chance to go sailing, paddle in a canoe, sit around bon fires or catch their first fish.”
One of the telethon’s community supporters is Joe Maione of Maione Collectables, who started his partnership with Easter Seals in 1998 and has donated over twenty prizes to this year’s telethon. Maione has been collecting since 1980 and provides prizes to encourage community interest. Maione not only generously provides many of our prizes, but he also volunteers annually as a panelist which gives him a chance to meet the Easter Seals Ambassador and raise community support.
Segment prizes
Each telethon segment is associated with specific segment prizes. Everyone who donates during a segment will be entered to win these prizes:
12 noon to 12:45 p.m.
- Autographed Three Nolans Hockey School jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Soo Greyhounds lamp and decorative sign (Maione Collectables)
- $50 Gliss gift certificate (Gliss)
- Six $25 Station Mall gift cards, to be awarded individually (Station Mall)
12:45 to 1:30 p.m.
- Toronto Blue Jays MLB Championship jersey (Maione Collectables)
- NHL Winter Classic tickets print (Maione Collectables)
- $50 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
1:30 to 2:15 p.m. Wayne Gretzky NHL replica Jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Montreal Canadiens banner (Maione Collectables)
- $50 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
- Four-Month George Leach Centre membership (Algoma University)
2:15 to 3 p.m.
- Detroit Tigers MLB All Star replica jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Bobby Orr blanket (Maione Collectables)
- $100 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
3 to 3:45 p.m.
- Connor McDavid NHL replica jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Dukes of Hazard collector's car (Maione Collectables)
- $50 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
- Detroit Tigers MLB jacket (Maione Collectables)
- NHL throw blanket (Maione Collectables)
- $50 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
4:30 to 5:15 p.m.
- Detroit Lions NFL jacket (Maione Collectables)
- 2011 Bautista All Star jersey (Maione Collectables)
- $100 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
5:15 to 6 p.m.
- Alex Ovechkin NHL Winter Classic jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Chicago Cubs MLB Championship jersey (Maione Collectables)
- $100 Station Mall gift card (Station Mall)
- Pampered Chef baker
All-day prizes
Throughout the day, donors who pledge $100 or more will be entered to win these bonus prizes in addition to the segment prizes:
- Autographed Ron Francis, Carolina Hurricanes jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Autographed Jordan Nolan LA Kings jersey (Maione Collectables)
- Hockey Legends print with Howe, Orr, Gretzky, and Lemieux (Maione Collectables)
- A Tap Room Experience! For two hours, a group of up to 20 people will receive a tour of Northern Superior's brewery and a tasting of their beer. The group can bring their own food. A $200 - $250 value. (Northern Superior Brewing Company)
- Four seats in the BDO box at a regular season Soo Greyhounds game during the 2017/2018 season, plus $100 for food/beverages (David Saunders - BDO)
New this year
Starting at 1:30 p.m., anyone who pledges $100 will receive a $25 Domino's gift certificate (while supplies last). The donor's tax receipt will be for $75.
Club 52
This delicious initiative is made possible by the support of local restaurants. While supplies last, donors who pledge $52 will receive a $25 gift certificate to a randomly selected restaurant. These gift certificates have been generously donated by the restaurants. This year's participating restaurants are Antico, Arturo's, Barsanti's / Root River, Burger Don, Centro, Ember's, Ernie's, Fratellli's, Gino's, Giovanni's, Gliss, Grand Gardens, Hard Wok Café, Hickory Bar and Grill, Iron Club, Low and Slow, Marconi, Minelli's, Muio's, Noel's Place, Quattro, Solo, Sportscentre Bar and Grill, The Harp, The Mill, Uncle Gino's Café, and Water Tower/Casey's. (Club 52 donor's tax receipts will be for $27)
Please take the time to support children with physical disabilities in our community so that they can become unstoppABLE!
2017 marks Easter Seals Ontario’s 95th anniversary of serving children and youth with physical disabilities. Since 1922, with the help of our generous donors, Easter Seals has been offering programs and services that enable kids to experience freedom and independence and focus on what they can do rather than on their limitations. Together, we make a difference for kids in the community who need our help. Easter Seals helps kids be kids.
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