Telemiracle


Telemiracle is an annual telethon organized by the Kinsmen and Kinettes in Saskatchewan, Canada for the benefit of the Kinsmen Foundation. Initially broadcast on both CTV and CBC affiliates in Saskatchewan, it is now broadcast, commercial-free, exclusively on the province's CTV affiliates–CKCK in Regina, CFQC in Saskatoon, CIPA in Prince Albert and CICC in Yorkton.
Generally broadcast the first full weekend of March, the 44th edition of the telethon took place in Regina on March 7 and 8, 2020.

History

Originally, the Kinsmen had the idea to have a car raffle to raise funds to help with all the requests for assistance they received but the government wouldn't allow it. So instead, they came up with the idea for a telethon. In 1977, the first telethon raised more than CAD $1 million, which at the time was considered a record for per capita telethon fund-raising in a 20-hour period. The telethon passed the $2 million mark for the first time in 1983, and the $3 million mark in 2001. Telemiracle has exceeded the $4 million mark twelve times and $5 million nine times, most recently in 2020. Telemiracle exceeded the $7 million mark for the first time on March 4, 2018.
Early broadcasts of the telethon featured a mix of national and international celebrities such as John Allan Cameron, Gloria Loring, Alan Thicke, the Irish Rovers, Arte Johnson of Laugh-In, Bob McGrath of Sesame Street, game show personality Jim Perry, his daughter Erin Perry, singer and TV host Blake Emmons, pianist Frank Mills and Saskatchewan-born motivational speaker Alvin Law. In recent years, the event has mostly attracted Canadian talent. Traditionally, the telethon alternates between the two major Saskatchewan cities of Saskatoon and Regina.
Bob McGrath, a regular fixture on Telemiracle for 38 years, was awarded the Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan for this work by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Lynda Haverstock, on March 3, 2006. He announced during the 2015 telethon that it would be his last, but returned for the final four hours of the 2018 telethon.
Telemiracle 31, the first telethon to exceed the $5,000,000 pledge total, broke all previous records, with an official final total of $5,604,682. This record was broken in 2012 with a final total of $5,906,229. This record was once again broken on March 4, 2018 with a final total of $7,151,256. One bequest of over $1.2 million and one bequest of over $1.5 million—the largest pledge, bequest or otherwise, in the telethon's history—contributed to the 2018 total.
A scheduling mixup resulted in Telemiracle 32 being relocated to Saskatoon in 2008. A convention was booked in Regina for the days leading up to the telethon, meaning that the usual setup time was not available. Telemiracle was held in Saskatoon for 3 consecutive years. The telethon returned to Regina in 2010.

Format

Shown annually on CTV affiliates, the broadcast starts at 9 pm local time on the first Saturday in March. The broadcast goes live to the host auditorium, where members of the national cast are introduced.
The previous theme was Mike + The Mechanics' 1986 hit "All I Need is a Miracle", it was replaced in 2011 with "You are the Miracle" by Brad Johner and Donny Parenteau.
The broadcast takes its only break at 11pm local time to allow for the CTV affiliates to broadcast the CTV National News. The telethon continues during this 30 minute news break and at 11:30pm stations that aired the newscast once again rejoin the broadcast until the conclusion of the show on Sunday evening at 5pm Central Standard Time. The broadcast always concludes with "O Canada" and a balloon and confetti drop during which time some of the volunteers take to the stage to celebrate; up through 2010, a rendition of "With a Little Help from My Friends" was included with the closing festivities.
For the first time in 2009, the show went to other various locations in Saskatchewan outside of Saskatoon or Regina. It went to many of the smaller towns and cities across the province showcasing what the local residents have done to raise money. The practice continued in 2010.
Telemiracle was streamed online on CTV's website for the first time in 2010.
While the show is now carried only on Saskatchewan CTV stations, the production crew is composed of approximately 200 volunteers representing several broadcast networks, many travelling from outside of the province.
In 2018 a pre-show called the Countdown Show was added. It starts at 6:30 pm local time and runs till approximately 8:45 pm. It is streamed live to Telemiracle's YouTube channel, from the lobby of the host auditorium. The Countdown Show is hosted by two members of the national cast and features 12 Saskatchewan Talent performances.

Annual totals

Telemiracle's website doesn't display the annual totals and they don't set annual goals, but their FAQ notes that the telethon raised over $111 million through Telemiracle 39 in 2015, an amount that includes the $5,604,682 raised by Telemiracle 31 in 2007 and $5,906,229 at Telemiracle 36 in 2012.
At the 37th Telemiracle in 2013, the Kinsmen and Kinettes were proud to announce that the lifetime total for Telemiracle had surpassed 100 million dollars. Telemiracle has an all-time total raised of $140,163,180.
At the 42nd Telemiracle in 2018, a brand new record total was raised, thanks in large part to two individual bequeaths of over $1 million each. When the final tally was totalled up at 5:00 pm, a brand new telethon record of $7,151,256 was established.
YearTelemiracleHost CityTotalRef
19771Saskatoon$1,214,210
19782Regina$1,443,092
19793Saskatoon$1,401,422
19804Regina$1,551,837
19815Saskatoon$1,800,924
19826Regina$1,902,480
19837Saskatoon$2,010,120
19848Regina$1,920,215
19859Saskatoon$2,012,424
198610Regina$2,004,367
198711Saskatoon$2,085,785
198812Regina$2,470,577
198913Saskatoon$1,965,721
199014Regina$1,803,177
199115Saskatoon$1,825,092
199216Regina$2,003,610
199317Saskatoon$2,114,688
199418Regina$2,126,734
199519Saskatoon$2,451,783
199620Regina$2,306,420-
199721Saskatoon$2,740,578
199822Regina$2,546,637
199923Saskatoon$2,500,562
200024Regina$2,683,424
200125Saskatoon$3,515,611
200226Regina$3,026,723
200327Saskatoon$3,027,912
200428Regina$3,528,410
200529Saskatoon$3,440,296
200630Regina$3,491,538
200731Saskatoon$5,604,682
200832Saskatoon$3,648,310
200933Saskatoon$3,802,308
201034Regina$4,010,314
201135Saskatoon$4,635,768
201236Regina$5,906,229
201337Saskatoon$5,546,712
201438Regina$5,285,744
201539Saskatoon$4,312,457
201640Regina$5,200,071
201741Saskatoon$5,000,274
201842Regina$7,151,256
201943Saskatoon$5,619,214
202044Regina$5,523,472

Notable guests

National and international