Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon Still Going Strong

If ever there was a main event in the name of charity it would be the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.

Year after year, millions of Americans tune in to watch the all-day event. This year’s line up of celebrity hosts for the telethon included Jann Carl, Tom Bergeron, and Alison Sweeney among other esteemed personalities, with performances by Céline Dion, 3 Doors Down, Kid Rock and Reba McEntire. Running 21-1/2 hours, the MDA telethon began at 9 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 31 and continued through the evening of Labor Day, with about $65 million raised during the run.

A special plea was also made for MDA-registered families forced to leave their homes because of the hurricane, which made landfall Monday in Louisiana.

Now in its 43rd year, and with immense competition coming from multiple choices in cable programming and increased internet use, an online auction has been incorporated to boost the telethon’s efforts.

The auction runs until September 4th, and features thousands of celebrity items, sports memorabilia and trips. To view the full list of auction items, visit the MDA website.