To all who have participated in any type of fundraising effort, you know the effort that goes behind it. Whether it be a magazine sale, raffle, fashion show, kitchen walk, walk-a-thon or any of the many other endeavors, none can not be successful without the help of many people.
Our area has a number of worthwhile fundraisers, but one of the most ambitious is the Riverside-Brookfield Educational Foundation’s annual telethon which will be held this Saturday, Oct. 13 from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. With over 100 volunteers, the foundation produces a telethon which is broadcast live from RB High School on RBTV for the purpose of raising funds to provide educational opportunities and scholarships for students, faculty and staff at RB, which would not be funded by the high school but only by private means.
Months of preparation and man hours are needed in order to make the telethon a success, with foundation trustees seeking items to be used as premiums. Every year, that’s also accomplished through the generosity of businesses and private individuals. Corporate donations are an integral part of the telethon.
Some of the premiums for this year include Chicago Bears items, a Mike Gustafson-signed print, gift certificates and much more. Tune in to find out all of the great premiums that will be available.
Entertainment is broadcast live from the RB auditorium and consists of groups from within the school and bands who have volunteered their time and talent to the cause. The phone bank, which allows for incoming and outgoing calls, is up continuously during the telethon and is manned by students, teachers, parents and other interested persons.
Many of the phone volunteers are previous recipients of grants from the foundation and many are interviewed during the broadcast to tell of their educational experience provided by the foundation.
One of the most interesting aspects of producing the telethon is the technical part of the show, which is directed by Gary Prokes of the award winning RBTV media department. Students volunteer their time to operate cameras for the day-long event with the help of former RB graduates who return yearly for the telethon.
Guest hosts during the event include staff, former teachers and students. Yours truly, as foundation president, will be on air from 1 to 3 p.m. and various times during the day. Call in to say “hi” and make a donation.
To learn more about the RB Educational Foundation or make a donation call 442-7500. This year, you can make a donation by credit card or going to your computer and clicking on rbef.revtrak.net and link to Telethon 2007.
As with all forms of volunteerism, you can make a difference whether it is through a donation of time, treasure or talent.