The 77th annual CTV Lions Children’s Christmas Telethon carried its decades-long northern tradition forward Saturday from Sudbury’s Place des Arts. Over the years, evolving times, technology and even the pandemic have altered the telethon’s execution. However, the annual fundraiser remains an enduring symbol of holiday cheer and the spirit of giving throughout the Greater Sudbury community and beyond. As the curtains closed on the live broadcast, the event had raised $357,742. And for the first time this year, the event was available live on Crave in both the Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie areas. Crucial mission for a vast region The telethon raises essential funds to ensure thousands of deserving local children have a gift to unwrap on Christmas morning. The effort serves a vast geographic area. “Our area covers Sault Ste. Marie, down (Highway) 17, Elliot Lake, all of Manitoulin Island and all the way up to Onaping Falls and we go down to Capreol, Noelville, French River and Markstay area,” said telethon chair Sam Khoury in an interview with CTV News ahead of the event. “Last year and this year we (are also) covering Temiskaming by North Bay on the backside.” With many families struggling, the Lions have received more than 15,000 requests for toys this year with all donations are directed back to children and families in northeastern Ontario. Community partnerships drive success Telethon organizers emphasize that such a monumental effort cannot be achieved alone. The success is built on broad community support from both corporate sponsors and dedicated volunteers, a point underscored during the live broadcast’s finale. As hosts Marina Moore and Rick Wyman brought Sam Khoury to centre stage to reveal the total, Khoury immediately deflected praise to the network of supporters. “One person can’t do it,” he said. “I’m a leader, but sometimes the leader depends on who’s around that leader. I have a great Lions Clubs. I have 15 Lions Clubs in the area to support the telethon and to make it.” He extended his gratitude to the broadcast crew and key sponsors. “Thank you so much … especially CTV here in Sudbury. The crew is excellent,” Khoury said. “Tim Hortons, thank you so much for your support to the other companies here in Sudbury, Glencore, Vale.” “The work put into it (is) no less than eight hours or nine hours every day, especially in the last two (to) three weeks,” he added, highlighting the intensive preparation involved. Triumphant total and continued need The moment culminated with the announcement of the final tally. After a celebratory reveal, Khoury confirmed the total for viewers: $357,742. This year’s goal was set at $325,000. “Thank you, Sudbury. Thank you to all those who called in and thank you to the (volunteers) because you feel it with us,” Khoury said. “Thank you so much for your help, for your phone calls and for your dedication and commitment to our service here. Thank you all.” The work, however, continues beyond the telethon broadcast. Khoury issued a call for further community assistance with the monumental task of distributing the toys. “We have to deliver the toys in Sudbury next Saturday. If you could come and help us delivering toys in Sudbury next Saturday, you’ll be more than welcome because we need all the hands we could ask for to deliver those toys to their families in need,” he said. During the nine-hour show, donations were made by phone and online, with donors’ names scrolling across the screen. Supporters also brought cash and cheque donations directly to Place des Arts, adding their contributions to the on-stage Cheer Pot, or Wish Bowl, for a chance to appear on screen. Donations continue to be accepted year-round online. Following telethon day, contributions can be dropped off at All Nations Church at 414 St. Raphael Street or mailed in. If you and your family and friends enjoyed the telethon this year, please share your photos, thoughts and videos with us on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #CTVLionsTelethon. Performance videos will be added to CTVNorthernOntario.ca’s coverage, check back to see more. Storied history of seasonal cheer The popular live show, featuring local talent performing to raise money for local children, traces its roots to 1949. It began when members of the Sudbury chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartets, the Sudbury Barershoppers, sang Christmas carols downtown to help the Salvation Army raise $500. In 1952, the first All-Star Program of local talent was held at the Capitol Theatre. More than 1000 toys were donated that year. CHNO radio was the first to broadcast the talent show. Then 1953 would be the pivotal year, as it looked like the Barbershoppers would fall short, and wouldn’t quite reach their goal of helping 300 families and almost 1,500 children. Wilf Woodill and the newly established CKSO Television stepped in with a five-hour volunteer talent show. They collected $2,000 that evening, exceeding the goal of $1,500. ”We could raise more money in one night on television than you could during an exhaustive six weeks of fundraising on the street," said one of the original Barbershoppers Ernie Savard. It was a natural progression to television and the annual Christmas telethon was born. The Sudbury BarberShoppers were the first group to work with the TV station on this event and that work continued until 1971. In 1972, Lion Gerry Albert, who worked as a sales rep for CKSO and was also a member of the Lions Club of Sudbury, was asked if he and the club would be willing to take on the running of the Telethon. He and the club agreed, and for the first year ran the telethon on their own with Albert as its chairman. In its first year under the Lions, in 1973, the telethon made $7,000, and they soon realized that more manpower was needed to continue the event. In 1974, the Minnow Lake and the Coniston Lions Clubs joined and combined their efforts and by 1975, seven clubs were involved raising $37,000. Albert served as Telethon chairman until 1981 continue to work with the then MCTV network. Four more Lions would take the reins of the telethon before the current char, Khoury took over in 2014 with what was now call CTV Northern Ontario which became full partners in the annual event in 1998. In 1998, Lions together with CTV talent celebrated the formal partnership with a production unparalleled in small market television. Businesses gave, children canvassed and carolled door-to-door and a record $211,000 was pledged in nine hours of live ‘hometown’ television. Then in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Khoury along with the help of the CTV crew in Sudbury and Bell Media, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars with the support of more than 100 area companies. In 2024, the telethon raised more than $416,000 sending out more than 18,000 toys to children while also assisting other organization for the Holidays.
