August 10, 2004

REGARDING TELETHON AND PARADE MAGAZINE TRIBUTES TO THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS

The 2004 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon will air live for 21½ hours starting at 9 p.m. EDT Sept. 5. Originating at CBS Television City in Hollywood, the broadcast will be seen on some 200 MDA “Love Network” stations and also online at www.mda.org.

	As part of their 50 years of helping MDA, IAFF members have made a tradition of visiting with “Jerry’s kids” at MDA summer camps.

On Labor Day Weekend, MDA and Parade magazine will be taking special steps to publicly acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the International Association of Fire Fighters’ commitment to helping MDA. (Please see my column of Jan. 8 on the importance of the anniversary of the IAFF-MDA partnership.)

Both in its opening and at various points throughout the broadcast, the 2004 Telethon will feature material highlighting the long-standing tradition of IAFF support of MDA, from the IAFF’s Fill-the-Boot campaign to help given by fire fighters at MDA summer camps.

Once again, in 2004, IAFF General President and MDA National Vice President Harold Schaitberger and representatives from top IAFF fund-raising districts will present a series of checks on the live broadcast, representing the IAFF’s fund-raising efforts in behalf of MDA over the past year.

On the 2003 broadcast, the IAFF fund-raising contribution amounted to an extraordinary $18.3 million to support MDA’s programs in research, medical service and summer camp for kids.

During the 2004 broadcast, Schaitberger is also expected to express his thoughts about the death on June 22 of best-selling poet and MDA National Goodwill Ambassador Mattie Stepanek.

Schaitberger personally befriended the young boy who inspired millions of Americans through his words of peace and hope and his remarkable courage in the face of a truly devastating illness. Schaitberger attended Mattie’s funeral, which featured eulogizing remarks by former President Jimmy Carter, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and “Entertainment Tonight” correspondent and MDA Board Member Jann Carl.

Mattie had a particularly strong affection for fire fighters and forever captured the hearts of IAFF members when he spoke at their national convention in 2002, calling them “champions for MDA.”

In addition to acknowledging the IAFF’s 50 years of support of MDA, the 2004 Telethon will devote a number of segments to Mattie, with Mattie’s mom, Jeni, appearing live on the broadcast.

	A fire truck arrives at the MDA summer camp in Chesterfield, Mo., carrying IAFF Local 2665 member Ron Fritz, his 5-year-old daughter Morgan, and Parade magazine Editor Lee Kravitz (right).

Another important part of the 2004 Telethon will be a video profile about a 5-year-old girl with spinal muscular atrophy, Morgan Fritz. Morgan’s dad, Ron, is a fire fighter and paramedic and member of IAFF local 2665 in Normandy, Mo. Schaitberger will introduce this moving family segment, and Morgan, Ron and Sue, Morgan’s mom, will make a live appearance following the video.

Although Morgan won’t be old enough to attend MDA summer camp until next year, she got to make a special visit with her dad to the MDA camp in Chesterfield on June 24.

	Some 38 fire and emergency vehicles showed up at MDA summer camp in Chesterfield to educate MDA campers about fire fighting equipment and procedures.

That day, Ron and many of his fellow IAFF members rode into the MDA camp on some 38 fire and other emergency vehicles. It’s a great, exciting IAFF tradition to visit with MDA campers while showing them the trucks and equipment.

Some IAFF members come for a day’s visit, while others spend the whole week at camp serving as camp attendants to help these special kids have a wonderful week of fun.

Parade magazine Editor and Senior Vice President Lee Kravitz is a firm friend of MDA and admirer of fire fighters. This summer he assigned an article, to appear in Parade on Labor Day weekend when the Telethon airs, on the subject of IAFF support of MDA. Kravitz, along with photographer Gwendolen Cates and writer David Relin, flew to Chesterfield to get the story when the trucks rolled into the camp.

	Parade magazine photographer Gwendolen Cates (right) prepares to photograph IAFF members for the cover of the Labor Day weekend issue of Parade.

MDA’s Television Production Division crew was also on hand that day, and videotaped a special segment to be shown on the Telethon, hosted by Kravitz and focusing on the IAFF’s participation in the MDA summer camp program.

In the segment, which features behind-the-scenes footage of the shooting of the Parade cover, Kravitz hails IAFF members for “50 years of Filling-the-Boot and raising funds to help kids like Morgan.”

Kravitz goes on to say: “At Parade, we’re proud to salute our brave heroes, the fire fighters, and we urge everyone watching to follow their example. Help MDA and give hope to kids like Morgan.”

Here’s to Parade, its editor Lee Kravitz, and publisher and CEO Walter Anderson, for acknowledging IAFF support of MDA in such a splendid way.

Whether they’re Filling-the-Boot, showing off their trucks, or demonstrating their love and support for “Jerry’s kids” in other wonderful ways, IAFF members continue to be, in Mattie’s words, “champions” for the families MDA serves.

Thank you, IAFF members, for 50 remarkable years of being on MDA’s front line in the fight against muscular dystrophy.

With every best wish...

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