Telethon tomorrow!

OSBURN – It may not be being broadcast over the radio anymore, but the Dave Smith Memorial Christmas Fund Telethon is continuing on at its new home.

Readers and listeners far and wide are invited to be a part of the annual Silver Valley event on Wednesday, December 4 being held at the Shoshone News-Press office in Osburn.

Going on 23 years now, the event has raised money to provide for local families that may have trouble putting dinner on the table this holiday season. All the money raised has always stayed in Shoshone County and any extra funds that are not spent are donated to the local Meals on Wheels foundation.

Event organizer and Shoshone County Clerk, Tamie Lewis-Eberhard, was also involved in last year’s telethon and is excited to be bringing the fun back to the News-Press Office.

“I think it’s going to be great! We have a lot of new ideas and lots of different ways to donate!”

Throughout the day, phone operators at the News-Press office will be making calls to folks in the community and asking for any sort of donation for the cause.

In lieu of bringing people on the radio, like it was when it was at KWAL, event staff will be conducting live interviews that will be streamed on the News-Press Facebook. This year’s telethon is set to have over 30 different guests stopping by to entertain and challenge others to donate.

In addition to the tried and tested ways of calling-in or mailing donations, the News-Press will be making a “pay button” available on their Facebook page throughout the day. This will allow anyone who is following along with the day’s festivities on social media to simply make their contribution conveniently online.

As with years past, the money raised from the event goes toward purchasing food vouchers for local families that may have trouble putting dinner on the table this holiday season. These vouchers can be used at specific local grocery stores that include Yokes in Kellogg, Barney’s Harvest Foods in Pinehurst, IGA in Osburn and Harvest Food in Wallace.

If there’s any money left over after all the voucher requests have been filled, the reminder is donated to the Osburn based Meals on Wheels program foundation.

When the News-Press hosted the event last year for the first time, the event raised north of $20,000- far surpassing the initial goal of $15,000.

If you would like to donate to the cause, contact the News-Press office on Wednesday, Dec. 4 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or visit the Shoshone News-Press Facebook page and click the pay button. Donations can also be mailed to the Shoshone County Clerk’s Office at 700 Bank St., Suite 120, Wallace, ID 83873.

If you wish to issue a donation challenge or just join in on the fun, swing by the News-Press office at 620 E Mullan Ave. in Osburn during the event hours.

The following is the tentative list of planned guests stopping by the News-Press for the telethon:

9 a.m.- Welcome from SNP Team

9:30 a.m.- Paul Robinson and George White

10 a.m.- Dr. Nancy Larsen with the Kellogg School District

10:30 a.m.- Mayors & County Commissioners

11 a.m.- Mike Dexter with the Hecla Charitable Foundation

11:30 a.m.- Shayleen Jerome with Shoshone Medical Center

11:45 a.m.- Fire Chiefs Mark Aamodt & Aaron Cagle, Cory Trapp with Longwell Trapp, and Rich with Ginno Construction

Noon- Lunchtime Christmas Variety Hour with Co-hosts Juli Zook & Bill Scudder.

- 12 p.m.- KHS Jazz Band (Shad Frazier, Band Director) playing 3-4 songs

- 12:30 p.m. Sixth Street Melodrama (Carol Roberts) performing 2-3 songs and promote the Sixth Street Christmas Show.

1 p.m.- Julie Crnkovich with Senior Meals on Wheels program, and Kellogg City Clerk Nila Jurkovich.

1:30 p.m.- Sheriff Mike Gunderson

2 p.m.- Shoshone County Emergency Manager Dan Martinson

2:30 p.m.- Sarah Murphy with Sol & Serre

3 p.m.- Harley Birchmier with the Kellogg Elks Christmas Program

3:30 p.m.- Matt & Alex Hall with HMH Engineering, and Jim Cason with the Shoshone County Road Dept.

4 p.m.- Musical performance by Sverwood (Rusty Wood, Chris Sverdsten and Michelle Wood)

4:30 p.m.- Dave Smith Motors