July 13, 1999

ON THE MDA TELETHON'S LOCAL PRESENCE

Where is the true home of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon?

You wouldn't be wrong if you said the Telethon's home is CBS Television City in Hollywood. That's the origination point for the live 21½ hour broadcast hosted by MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis and featuring topflight performances by dozens of actors, musicians and comedians from across the entertainment spectrum.

But of course the Telethon also has a home in New York, Chicago and other exciting locales which provide special remote segments that add variety and spice at strategic points during Jerry's live broadcast.

And one can't overlook the fact that the Telethon has a home at each and every one of the some 200 MDA "Love Network" stations nationwide that beam the broadcast into homes across America. These loyal stations, each one an outstanding leader in the broadcast industry, form the edifice without which the Telethon could never exist, let alone excel as the unique television phenomenon that it is.

And the Telethon can also lay claim to having a home in virtually every community across the nation. That's because, come Labor Day, the Telethon is a living, breathing part of cities, towns and villages that host Telethon-themed events such as MDA festivals, Fill the Boot Tag Days, carnivals, car washes, car dealership percent of sales events, concerts and other events.

There are thousands of such MDA events that take place on or around the Labor Day Telethon. One may be taking place near you. Sometimes you'll see these exciting events during the local segments of your Telethon broadcast. But whether they're televised or not, each and every one of these local events is a crucial part of the overall Telethon experience.

It's entirely appropriate that MDA's Telethon should have such a strong foothold in local communities. MDA started out as a grass-roots initiative in the 1950s, and even after having evolved into a large organization with nationally administered programs, we still keep our primary focus where it belongs, within the communities we serve.

On the local level is where our staff meet with families and individuals affected by neuromuscular diseases to evaluate their needs and coordinate diagnostic and other services for them. On the local level is where you'll find the hospital-affiliated MDA clinics which provide medical services to families fighting the muscular dystrophies and related diseases -- and also where you'll find MDA summer camps for "Jerry's kids." There, on the local level, in universities and other institutions, is where you'll find MDA-funded researchers toiling to find new answers in the war to defeat these progressive and often fatal disorders.

So it's gratifying to know that on the local level you'll also find the car washes and other events that help make the Telethon the unique piece of Americana that it is.

The best way to experience the Telethon is not just to watch it, but to get out for part of the weekend and get involved, and be part of it. If you're interested in helping out at Telethon time, whether at a pledge center or a Telethon-themed event in your community, call your local MDA office. (Look for MDA in the phone book or under the "Services" area of MDA's Web site at www.mda.org to find your nearest MDA office.)

We'll adhere to our "grass-roots" philosophy come what may, since we know that, as long as there's one car dealership that cares, one person willing to put on a carnival, or even one youngster capable of collecting pennies in a canister to be taken down to the local Telethon station, MDA and our Jerry Lewis Telethon will always have a home.

With every good wish . . .

The Ross Report Archive