Greg Nikkel
editor@weyburnreview.com
There was a miracle in Regina over the weekend at the Conexus Centre, as Kinsmen Club members from around the province held their annual telethon and raised the most money ever in their 42nd year, a total of $7,151,256.
A farm family from the Weyburn area played a big part in helping Telemiracle to reach that record amount, as the family of the late Lucien Jacobs, who farmed in the Trossachs area, bequested $1.2 million to the Kinsmen Foundation, with the donation presented on-stage by his three children.
This was really just the tip of the iceberg, as the generosity of the people of Saskatchewan shone through brightly, with a second bequest presented (which was the largest ever received at Telemiracle, in the amount of $1.53 million), plus higher-than-average donations from the residents in every community throughout the province, rural and urban.
Not only are the people of Saskatchewan generous and giving, but for many of those giving, likely they know of a story of someone in their community who has been touched by the donations to Telemiracle, through support from the Kinsmen Foundation.
It could be someone they know, or have heard of, and they realize, these are dollars earned by the hard-working people of this province, and they are going to help people in this province at a time when they need it the most.
It is important to remember that the foundation is considered a funder of “last resort”, when all other possible sources of assistance refuse their request or are simply unable to accommodate their needs.
This means that the people you hear of, who are immensely grateful for the help they receive, have been to other places like the provincial Health ministry or local service groups, and they simply have not been able to get the help they need and have nowhere else to go. In addition, those who receive help are often in dire need, sometimes of trips to outside the province for medical treatment or sometimes for specialized equipment for their care.
The Foundation also helps provide such things as mobility equipment, community vans and equipment in hospitals and health centres.
As Kinsmen Foundation chair Scott Lamb said at the conclusion of Telemiracle 42, “We raise money once a year at Telemiracle to help as many people as we can, right here at home. The Kinsmen Foundation will put the gifts people have entrusted us with to good use.”
So if you see the Weyburn Care-A-Van with the Telemiracle logo, or see someone in the community who has received help, remember that those are your donation dollars being put to excellent use by the Kinsmen Foundation.
