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“Telethon: One Man Steers This Mighty Ship”

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Image

Description: These images were taken for the June 11th 1978, edition of the Tribune weekly newspaper, the first of which was published with the caption “Mr Hutchings (right) leafing through some of the posters, pamphlets and car stickers which are part of the Telethon campaign. With him is SPTV's liaison officer, Mrs Kate Whitley, and Palmerston North's PRO, Mr Nev MacEwan.”

An excerpt from the article read: “Twelve weeks' to create a Christmas in the middle of the year. Twelve weeks to assemble and direct an army of 6,000 people. Twelve weeks to put together a monumental show that will probably raise millions of dollars. And the responsibility lies with one man - Don Hutchings. He visited Palmerston North recently as a morale-booster for the team of Manawatu people who will be working on Telethon in three weeks' time. This is his fourth Telethon in New Zealand the first three raised $4.5 million between them. Last year's South Pacific Television Telethon raised $2.15 million for the Mental Health Foundation. The Child Health Foundation Telethon the year before raised $1.65 million. The first Telethon, four years ago, was for the St John Ambulance Association and raised $600,000. Don has been responsible for leading every Telethon's behind-the-scenes work.”

These images form part of the Manawatū Evening Standard Negative Collection. Unfortunately, only negatives between April and December 1978 are held.