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OCTOBER 27, 2014: Channel 7’s Telethon broke another record over the weekend of Oct 25 & 26 raising a staggering $25,271,542 for the kids of Western Australia.
Headline performances from Perth The X Factor contestant Reigan Derry on the opening night and a host of Australian entertainers got big crowds at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre up on their feet, while the plucky Little Telethon Stars, seven year-old Emily Prior and 10 year-old Patrick Majewski charmed audiences everywhere.
The amazing 26 hours live-on-air weekend saw more than 300 TV production crew at work; more than 200 lights; 60 plus microphones; 55 hair and make-up artists; more than 600 entertainers; 100 Virgin Australia flights and more than 1,000 volunteers which made the Telethon weekend the most successful ever.
There were plenty of major donations from the big end of town, but as always it was the generosity of the people of Western Australia that shone through the most in the huge 2014 total of $25,271,542 raised over the weekend compared to last year’s $20.7 million and brings the total raised since 1968 to $179,778,436.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott committed a Federal Government donation of $1 million.
Premier Colin Barnett handed over a cheque for $500,000 from the State Government on behalf of all West Australians.
Party goers at the Lexus Ball raised an unbelievable $700,000 which included the sale of the Solid Gold pendant designed with the Little Telethon stars Emily and Patrick – but the weekend belonged to Emily Prior and Patrick Majewski, who stole the audiences hearts.
For the third year running there was a Social Media Command Centre at The Sunday Times, which saw many celebrities wander in to join the Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feeds and interact live with fans showing which towns and suburbs were donating the most.
On Friday of the Telethon weekend, BHP Billiton announced a five year, $20 million donation to Telethon which will be directed towards the Telethon Kids Institute – the first donation of $4 million dollars kicking off the show.
Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Minderoo Foundation donated $1 million.
Perth businessman, Tim Roberts, another Million Dollar Partner, donated $1.5 million this year.
Malcolm, Tonya and Carolyn McCusker generously donated $1.5 million from the McCusker Charitable Foundation.
The Telethon Adventurers raised close to a million dollars during the year with Northern Star Resources managing director, Bill Beament, donating a gold bar to Telethon Adventurers worth $250,000.
New Milllion Dollar Partner, Ramsay Health Care donated $1 million and Wesfarmers donated $1.25 million.
On Sunday, House Rules judge Joe Snell along with this year’s Perth contestants Carole and Russell joined Rick Ardon at the 2014 Eden Beach Telethon Home by In Vogue in Jindalee which sold at auction for $700,000.
The 2014 Regional Telethon home by WA Country Builders, located just 10 minutes from Geraldton in Deepdale Estate was sold at auction on Saturday for $625,000.
This year Crown Perth came on board again as part of In It To Win It where personalities participated in a series of challenges which raised $2.5 million.
To cap off another successful Telethon weekend, Executive Chairman of Seven West Media, Kerry Stokes generously contributed $1.5 million on behalf of his private company Australian Capital Equity.
Back in July, Mix 94.5’s Kids Appeal for Telethon raised more than $580,000.
West Australian Newspapers including The West Australian Regional Newspaper Group and the Spirit Radiothon for Telethon kindly donated a cheque for $100,000.
In May, a Sunday lunch at Leeuwin put on by the Horgan family raised more than $100,000.
For the third year The Hawaiian Property Group held The Rob Broadfield Dinner at Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa in Broome raised $350,000.
Other large donations throughout the year included;
- Bankwest – $275,000;
- Perth Airport – $100,000;
- Channel Nine Perth – $100,000;
- The Rhonda Wyllie Foundation – $100,000;
- Thrifty Rent a Car – $100,000.
Ex-rugby player, Matt Fuller cycled for 24 hours with Peard Real Estate donating $50,000 and many other supporters donating online.
The 2014 Little Telethon Stars also raised money for Telethon with Patrick beaming as he handed over $4,000 and Emily more than $1,000.
Telethon CEO, Steve Mummery was ecstatic again with the result from the weekend.
“In this tough economic climate, Western Australians continue to get behind Telethon. There are now grand parents who grew up giving their pocket money to Telethon who now have grand children doing the same.
“Western Australians should be very proud of themselves as this Telethon continues to be the highest fundraising Telethon (per capita) in the world” he said.
A huge line-up of Seven Network talent flew in from Around Australia including Rob Palmer from Better Homes and Gardens; Jason Dundas from The Big Adventure; Sally Obermeder and Tom Williams from The Daily Edition.
Charlie Clausen (Zac Macguire), Jackson Gallagher (Josh Barrett), Isabella Giovinazzo (Phoebe Nicholson), Cassie Howarth (Hannah Wilson), Matt Little (VJ), Philippa Northeast (Evelyn MacGuire), Johnny Ruffo (Chris Harrington) and Nic Westaway (Kyle Braxton) from Home and Away.
Joe Snell from House Rules, Simon Reeve from Million Dollar Minute; Candice Dixon, Nathan Morgan and Teigan Nash from Saturday Disney; Dr Andrew Rochford from National Seven News.
Samantha Armytage, Natalie Barr, Edwina Bartholomew, David Koch and Molly Meldrum from Sunrise.
Melissa Bergland (Jenny Gross), Nathin Butler (Luke Mackenzie), Sarah Grace (Bridget Gross), Paul Moore (Wes Fitzpatrick), Katherine Hicks (Sam Mackenzie) and Nick Russell (Gabe Reynolds) from Winners and Losers and Telethon Adventurers Ambassador, George Houvardas who played the role of Carbo in Packed To The Rafters.
Local West Australians who appeared on our screens throughout the year, Carole and Russell from House Rules; Chloe and Kelly from My Kitchen Rules; Sally and Tyson and Inga and Tiharna from The Amazing Race – Australia v New Zealand will also appear on Telethon.
They were joined by 7’s Perth stars – Rick Ardon, Susannah Carr, Basil Zempilas, Geof Parry, Geof Parry, Adrian Barich, Alexis Donkin, Ryan Daniels, Jessica Vanderende, Kate Smithers, Blake Johnson, Chantelle Toohey, Amelia Broun, Samantha Jolly, Rebecca O’Donovan, Rebecca Picton-King, Jordan Cutts, Rob Scott, Grant Wynne and Angela Tsun from Seven News Perth and Today Tonight’s Monika Kos, Mark Gibson, Graeme Butler, Alison Fan, Cassie Silver, Mark Readings, Syan Dougherty, Andrea Burns, Belinda Wilkinson and Tina Altieri. Plus many of Perth’s radio personalities from Mix 94.5, 92.9, Nova 93.7, 6PR, ABC720, 96FM and 6iX
Also making their way to Perth to perform were Justice Crew, The Collective, The Kin, Taylor Henderson, Bonnie Anderson, The McClymonts, Samantha Jade, Nathaniel, Damien Bodie, Brad Blaze and three of the Top 12 in this year’s The X Factor, Jason Heerah and Perth’s own Sydnee Carter and Reigan Derry. Plus a surprise performance from James Reyne who wowed the audience at The Lexus Ball earlier Saturday night.
Photos courtesy of Viva Photography
In 2015 Telethon will be on October 17 and 18.