By Nash Alonto
Dec. 4, 2023
In front of a few dozen people inside The Guild in Charlottetown, Catherine McLellan sang her original song “Calling You Home for the Holidays”, while playing her brown Taylor acoustic guitar.
Beside her on the stage was a Christmas tree decorated with ornaments, lights, and an angel on top for the star. Under the tree were boxes decorated as presents.
“It’s a different energy. The audience will get to see a little bit of what making a television show looks like,” McLellan said before the event.
McLellan is a JUNO Award-winning singer and songwriter from Summerside, P.E.I. She is one of seven artists who performed at the annual CTV Christmas Daddies telethon at The Guild.
This is McLellan’s fourth time performing at the telethon. She got the gig to perform at the event through an invitation from CTV.
“It’s always a fun show, so any time they asked, I jump on board,” she said.
Christmas Daddies is an annual telethon held in early December hosted by CTV in the Maritimes since 1964. This is its milestone 60th year, and was hosted by Nova Scotia comedian Sandy “Jimmy the Janitor” Gillis.
The event was broadcasted on Dec. 2 on CTV Atlantic from The Guild in P.E.I., along with other locations in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
The goal of the telethon is to raise funds for less fortunate children in the Maritimes region. All proceeds from the event goes to the Salvation Army in its aid efforts for the holidays.
Cathi Saunders is the co-ordinator for New Brunswick and P.E.I. since 2015. This was her ninth year organizing the event on the Island.
“It’s a very, very satisfying job. It’s crazy. It’s hectic. At times, we don’t get a lot of sleep. But knowing that we’re helping Christmas for a lot of less fortunate kids, it’s pretty satisfying. It keeps us going,” she said.
According to Saunders, the telethon has raised more than $38 million for the Salvation Army throughout its 60-year run.
Besides CTV, other local organizations in the region also hold fundraisers for the Christmas Daddies, as well.
Many came forward to present their donations to the Christmas Daddies. Maritime Electric and the Provincial Credit Union donated $1,000 each, the City of Charlottetown donated $500, the City of Summerside donated $250, and The Guild donated $1,028 from walk-in donations. Individuals like Matthew Churchill donated $398 out of his weekly paycheques to donate.
Other artists from P.E.I. who performed at the event were fiddler Richard Wood, twin sister act Ava and Lily, and Music P.E.I.-nominated singer-songwriter Lawrence Maxwell.
“It’s awesome. It’s a good support for the local talent and (it has) lots of fun music,” said Sarah Holman from Charlottetown, an audience member.
Saunders said they want to keep the telethon going and they’re not planning on stopping soon.
“Our hope is to keep going and always be there for less fortunate kids in P.E.I., New Brunswick and Nova Scotia,” she said.
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