Jerry's kids

It's that time again.

Labor Day weekend is synonymous for the Jerry Lewis Telethon for MDA.

When I was a little girl, I'd make a fort in the living room with pillows, blankets, my books to do my homework, snacks, and stay up all night watching Jerry Lewis and his telethon for Muscular Dystrophy.

I liked seeing all of my favorite stars, but believe it or not, I understood what the true meaning behind this event revealed.

It's truly amazing what one man can do.

When I am feeling down, hopeless that I am not making a difference in this world, or sorry for myself, I just think of Jerry Lewis.

He is one person who started a cause which has helped millions of people to date.

He was extremely ill himself and has overcome that malady.


I'm not quite sure where I got the energy or what possessed me, but this year I stayed up all night long again watching my favorite entertainers, hearing the stories of hope, and witnessing the good will still left in the world today by CEO after CEO handing over checks in the thousands and millions for Jerry's Kids.

If the heart-warming stories don't get you (and they should), it's the performances like Jerry singing a wonderful song to his daughter or Jack Jones singing a duet with his daughter. You have a cute girl group from Texas belting out a great song, violinist Joshua Bell, or the jump rope team amazing the crowd.

If one of these scenes does not evoke any type of emotion and urge to make this world a better place, well, there's a problem.

For Jerry's Kids

This time of year has always been bittersweet for me, even as a little girl.

Whoever the infamous 'they' are claim that summer is over come Labor Day. I think that is poppycock. I was in my cousin's wedding at the end of October wearing this wonderful long, hot purplish dress in 87 degree temperatures!

I don't like to see Spring and Summer go. I am a girl of the tropics!

As a youngster, this time of year meant back to school. Now, I loved school but that meant vacation was over.

As an adult, it still means back to school --waiting for buses to and from work...and 20 mph school zones whenever I go anywhere throughout the day!

It meant baseball season was almost over, which is an awful time of the year.

It also meant and still means the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon for Jerry's Kids. I would get set up in the living room like a sleepover stocked with blankets, pillows and snacks (and of course my homework because many times school had already started) and 'try' to stay up all night to see my favorite performers and listen to the testimonials from people suffering from this horrible disease. Jerry was and is one of my favorite entertainers. What a story he has to tell. A few years ago on the telethon, he too, was suffering from an illness. Today he looks wonderful after battling back himself.

Times have changed. The telethon used to be on so many stations including WJW. Now, it's hard to find. It was an 'event,' though for a sad cause. There were more firemen out collecting money as we ventured to the Indians' games and Air Show each Labor Day Weekend.

I loved the Jerry Lewis portion but always cherished coming back to Cleveland and seeing Big Chuck and Lil John performing crazy skits to get the giving people of Cleveland to help this cause. And through the good and rough economic times, we did! WJW also had 'local celebrities' galore who I always loved seeing. They may be Cleveland celebrities, but they made us proud. The likes of Drew Carey, Michael Stanley, Barnaby, Del and Tom, Jack Carlin, Klinger, and so many more....

God Bless Jerry Lewis for taking a cause he believes in and making it one of his life's missions. He and all of his 'dedicated' who donate their time, efforts, talents, and so much more for his kids have made a difference in this world, whether they know it or not.