Get ready for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon

DALLAS— Television has few traditions as strongly ingrained as the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon—a 21½-hour, star-studded variety show that simultaneously entertains, informs and raises funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The 2006 Telethon will feature host Jerry Lewis, as well as co-hosts Jann Carl of “Entertainment Tonight,” comedians Norm Crosby and Bob Zany, TV host Tom Bergeron and country singer Billy Gilman.

On September 4, the Telethon will be broadcast live on KXAS-TV NBC 5 at Lone Star Park, beginning at 5 a.m. NBC 5 anchors Mike Snyder and Loriana Hernandez, and meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin will emcee the show. Over 250 local volunteers assist in the production every year.

“I love doing Telethon because it’s so warming to the heart to see the whole thing come into play,” said Erica Prager of Dallas, who has volunteered for over 30 years.

“Telethon reinforces my belief that people are good—that they are generous and willing to help a worthy cause.”
Money raised from the Telethon funds specialized medical and therapeutic care, free flu vaccines, assistance with the purchase and repair of wheelchairs and other equipment, support groups, summer camps, ongoing public health education, research and more.

In North Texas, MDA serves 3,000 families, offering summer camp, over 20 support groups and clinics, and more than $1 million in research grants to respected medical institutions and universities, including the UT Southwestern Medical Center.

For more information on the MDA, call (972) 480-0011 or visit www.MDA.org. And don’t forget to watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon, September 4, on KXAS-TV NBC 5.