“It’s the biggest pro-life project ever undertaken in Canada,” said Ken Post, the Executive Producer of ‘Feel the Heartbeat’, a telethon special to be broadcast in April of next year. Months of preparation have already gone into it.
The mammoth telethon is aimed at the 16 to 24 age group but will have broad appeal for all. It will seek to present the pro-life movement in the best possible light, to obtain donations to finance various right-to-life groups all across Canada and to pay for the cost of the telethon itself and additional re-broadcasting.
Birthright volunteers will be on hand to counsel pregnant girls in distress. Interesting and exciting stories, including some first0hand experiences of pregnant teenagers who showed extreme courage when faced with difficult situations, will be presented. Well-known pro-life personalities will appear and encourage donations. In between segments, there will be music and light entertainment.
Over 170 pro-life member groups of Alliance for Life and David Mainse and Jack Chamberlain of 100 Huntley Street, who are generously donating studio space, equipment, technicians and guidance, are enthusiastically involved. Karen Pascal, the Canadian producer of many World Vision programs that were enormously effective in making Canadians aware of the needs of the third world, is putting together a top-notch team to assure the success of the telethon special. Churches and various other groups have already be approached for their help.
It is estimated that it will cost over a half a million dollars to undertake the project and it is anticipated that over 100,000 people will phone in pledges in this unique four-day TV blitz of Canada with time purchased on 30 major stations. Almost 2,000 telephone volunteers are needed to answer almost 1,700 phones! Visa and Mastercard donations will be welcomed.
Already there has been a phenomenal amount of support and enthusiasm which is strong evidence of the confidence that the pro-life movement has in the telethon special.
