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Telemiracle 42 sets record-breaking $7.1 million

Mar 5, 2018 | 7:52 AM

Where are we going? Higher!

It’s a phrase most people in Saskatchewan are familiar with and the message was heard loud and clear as people across the province stepped up once again to help Saskatchewan’s favourite telethon.

In less than 24 hours, Telemiracle 42 set a new all-time record and raised a total of $7,151,256.

The new mark smashed the old record by more than $1 million. The old record was $5.9 million set in 2012.

Kinsmen’s annual telethon raises money for the Kinsmen Telemiracle foundation, which provides special needs equipment, access to medical assistance and support to people in Saskatchewan.

The group received its largest donation of the weekend shortly before noon on Sunday. A $1,532,792 bequest from Dr. Phil Thacker helped propel the total towards a new record.

By 3 p.m, the new record was official, as the telethon charted new territory by leaping over the $6-million mark for the first time. It surpassed the $7-million threshold in one of the final announcements before the 5 p.m. ending.

In 2017, the telethon raised just over $5 million. The first telethon, in 1977, raised more than $1 million and then passed the $2 million mark for the first time in 1983.

Telemiracle 42 was held at Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. Each year the event alternates host cities with Saskatoon.

Telemiracle is run by more than 1,200 Kinsmen, Kinettes and production volunteers.

Donations can still be made on the Telemiracle website.