Muscular dystrophy telethon raises $8 million in pledges

Copyright 1995 Toronto Star Newspapers, Ltd.

World champion figure skater Kurt Browning's encore performance as host helped the 26th annual muscular dystrophy Labor Day telethon get top marks again.

More than $8 million had been pledged in Canada by 10 p.m. last night, when the 10-hour YTV extravaganza went off the air. About 6 million viewers were expected to have watched the show across the country.

The telethon raised $8.3 million last year and organizers were hoping to raise at least that for research into the disease.

Pledges were still coming in from the west as the Ontario deadline closed last night at a total of $8,036,789.

"We've had a tough year," said spokesperson John Berry. "We are really hoping to beat the deadline.

It was the second consecutive year the show was televised nationally - and on YTV - but it was shortened to 10 hours in one day rather than the previous 24 hours.

The telethon again carried highlights from the annual American Muscular Dystrophy Association Jerry Lewis Telethon, which started at 9 p.m. Sunday. It raised a record $47.8 million, officials told Associated Press yesterday.

The money raised in Canada goes toward research, education and client services for people affected by more than 40 neuromuscular disorders, which destroy nerve cells and weaken muscles.

The new shortened format was adopted to reach prime time audiences yesterday, said Berry.

In the past, the evening audience fell on Sunday when many people were still away for the weekend, he said.

The change also meant a cut in production costs for the telethon, which was again broadcast from the Regal Constellation Hotel in Etobicoke with a live audience, Berry said.

Browning was joined in his second year as host by personalities Dan Gallagher, Peter Feniak, Sharon Dunn and YTV's Jeff Colt and Adrian Pryce.