UCP Telethon Returning For 50th Year
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File photo of youth performers in the 2011 telethon. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The UCP telethon is returning for its 50th years next month.
The United Cerebral Palsy Association's annual telethon is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013 at the Crowne Plaza from 1 until 5 p.m.
The telethon is one of UCP's largest fundraisers. Last year $36,675 was raised to support the organization's programming for people with disabilities.
This year's honorary chairman is Daniel E. Bosley, former state representative, propertier of Bosley Consulting and president of the North Adams SteepleCats.
The telethon features raffles, auctions and an array of entertainers — including Cantarella School of Dance, Albany Berkshire Ballet Junior Company, Billsville Boys, Catholic Youth Center Cheerleaders and Berkshire Music School’s Bing’s Strings.
There will be seven hosts of the telethon: Cheryl Adams of WUPE Radio; Dave Winchester, formerly of WNAW/WSBS; Ron Gallagher, the regional director of vocational rehabilitation and independent living/social service programs for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Western Regional Offices; former Adams Town Clerk Paul Hutchinson; Youth Leadership Host Allyson Pratt; Pittsfield City Councilor and Director of Accounts and Lead Communications Consultant for OneEighty Media John Krol; and UCP Board Member Ashley Sulock, the director of marketing and communications for the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
Krol and Sulock will be reporting from the fishbowl, where they will be collecting donations from and speaking with members of the community and civic organizations. Brenda Carpenter is this year’s stage manager, and she will be assisted by UCP staff and volunteers as well as Pittsfield Community Television Corporation staff and volunteers.
All funds raised remain entirely in Berkshire County to support children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities and their families. UCP represents and supports all physical and developmental disabilities, including multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury, brain injury, and autism. UCP of Berkshire County’s services include adult family care, advocacy: general/education/and self, assistive technology, computer training, durable medical equipment-loaner program, individual and family support, early intervention, social and recreational children’s programming and the Berkshire Talking Chronicle radio reading service.
The telethon will be televised simultaneously on Pittsfield Community Television (Channel 16 in Pittsfield and Central Berkshire); on Northern Berkshire Community Television Corp. (Channel 15 in North County); and Community Television of the Southern Berkshires (Channel 16 in South County). In addition, Todd Lee from WUPE 100.1 FM will be hosting a radiothon simultaneously from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tags: benefit, telethon, UCP,
