United Way Estevan

08/31/2026

🎉 It’s 8 weeks until our 50th Telethon! 🎉

The countdown is on to celebrate five decades of community spirit, generosity, and making a difference together!

Year: 2020
President: Melanie Graham
Goal: $320,000.00
Total Raised: $347,711.00

The theme for 2020 was “United We Stand,” and in a year unlike any other, the United Way Telethon had to find new ways to bring the community together.

The traditional 33-hour Telethon still went ahead at the Estevan Legion, with local entertainment, fundraising and the familiar tote board, but safety measures and distancing protocols were put in place throughout the weekend.

One of the biggest changes came to another longtime Telethon tradition. For the first time, the hand-crafted bid items moved to a Facebook silent auction, giving people a way to take part from home. A total of 81 items were donated by local residents, raising $6,560.

Facebook also became an important way to follow the excitement as it happened, with live updates throughout the weekend as the total continued to climb.

At 2:30 Saturday afternoon, a $10,000 donation from former Estevan resident Jeff Sandquist helped push the Telethon past its $320,000 goal. That moment was captured live on the United Way Estevan page:

🎥 https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=955494691610665

And the community wasn’t finished. By the end of the 44th annual Telethon, the final on-air total had reached $347,711, finishing $27,711 above goal in support of local member agencies and community impact projects.

Whether people were performing at the Legion, bidding online, making a donation, following the updates from home or volunteering behind the scenes, 2020 showed just how fitting the words “United We Stand” really were.

📸 Do you remember the 2020 Telethon, bidding in the first Facebook silent auction or following the total from home? Share your memories, photos or videos in the comments below, or send them to [email protected] to be featured as we count down to 50 years of supporting the community!

08/28/2026

Wondering how you can prepare for United Way Estevan's 50th Telethon?
There are so many ways in which you, your employees, your coworkers, your friends, and/or family can help support the 50th Telethon campaign, such as:
- Purchase 50th Telethon T-shirts, mugs or tote bags (link in Comments)
- Hold an event to raise funds for United Way Estevan (BBQ)
- Hold a raffle. (Let us know if you do and we will get the license for you.)
- Participate in the “Helping Hands” campaign
- Challenge another business, co-worker, family, or friend
Or, come up with your own ideas. We're here to help, if you need us.
Help us celebrate and bring your donations down to the Estevan Legion on October 16th & 17th!

08/26/2026

🎉 It’s 9 weeks until our 50th Telethon! 🎉

The countdown is on to celebrate five decades of community spirit, generosity, and making a difference together!

Year: 2019
President: Becca Foord
Goal: $340,000.00
Total Raised: $377,152.00

The theme for 2019 was “Give Where U Live,” and longtime Telethon performer Jeff Michel summed up exactly why that matters.

A lifelong Estevan resident, Michel had been performing at the Telethon on and off since he was young. In 2019, he returned to the stage with the folk trio Hook and Nail alongside Mike Davis and Lindsey Arnold.

Speaking about what the Telethon meant to him, Michel said:

“It’s important that the telethon and the funds that are raised by the telethon stay in the community. With the 15 member agencies that the United Way has in Estevan, it is important that those agencies receive that funding to make sure they can continue to operate. It’s a great community project and it also serves some of the community impacts that the United Way does, it’s just a great fundraiser.”

By the end of the 43rd annual Telethon, the community had raised $377,152.00, finishing $37,152 above the goal and setting a new off-air fundraising record.

The year also marked two major milestones for United Way Estevan. Since the first Telethon in 1977, more than $9 million had now been raised overall, including donations that continued to come in after Telethon weekend. The Telethons themselves had also generated more than $8 million in support.

And if you watch the video of the final total announcement, you’ll spot Jeff right there on stage celebrating with the rest of the room as the $377,152 total is revealed.

🎥 Watch the 2019 final total announcement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxwPee9jaOg

📸 Have you performed at the Telethon over the years, or is there a familiar performer you always looked forward to seeing? Share your memories, photos, or videos in the comments below, or send them to [email protected] to be featured as we count down to 50 years of supporting the community!

08/19/2026

08/19/2026

Great news! Luda is on trial; for being criminally cute, and the verdict is in: guilty of stealing hearts! 🐱❤️

Join us for a fun, stress-relieving yoga session co-hosted by Om Yoga Studio and the Estevan Humane Society.

Event Details:
Date: Thursday, Aug 20
Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location: EHS | 1 Jensen Road
Ages: 12–17
Registration: No registration required—just drop in!

Bring your mat and come test out the kitten’s good behavior! ✨

08/19/2026

𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Imagine a world where no one felt ashamed to say:
"I'm struggling." "I need help." "I'm not okay today."

The more we talk openly about mental health, the more we break down the stigma that keeps people suffering in silence.

At Envision, we believe healing begins with connection, understanding, and compassion. Every conversation matters. Every check-in matters. Every life matters.

As we head into a new week, let's commit to making it easier for people to ask for help and easier for others to listen without judgment.

08/14/2026

🎉 It’s 10 weeks until our 50th Telethon! 🎉

The countdown is on to celebrate five decades of community spirit, generosity, and making a difference together!

Year: 2018
President: Travis Frank
Goal: $335,000.00
Total Raised: $372,290.00

One of the greatest strengths of the United Way Telethon is seeing each new generation make the event their own.

In 2018, the Estevan Comprehensive School production of Footloose brought incredible energy and talent to the Telethon stage. Throughout the weekend, the ECS Cheer Team, countless students from elementary schools across the community, and many other young performers also took the stage, generously sharing their talents in support of the United Way.

For many of these young people, the Telethon is more than just another performance. It's an opportunity to discover the importance of giving back, volunteering, and using their talents to help others. Year after year, new generations step into the spotlight, helping ensure the tradition of the Telethon continues to thrive.

Those performances, along with hundreds of volunteers, generous donors, local businesses, service clubs, schools, and community organizations, helped make 2018 one of the most financially successful Telethons in United Way Estevan history. Together, they raised $372,290.00 to support local member agencies and community impact partners, helping ensure vital programs and services continue to make a difference throughout our community.

📸 Were you or someone in your family ever part of the Telethon as a performer? Whether it was singing, dancing, acting, playing an instrument, cheering, or something else, we'd love to hear your memories! Share them in the comments below, or send your photos and stories to [email protected] to be featured as we count down to 50 years of supporting the community.

08/12/2026

✨ Half the world is under 30. In Canada, that’s 35% of us.

Young people aren’t just the future, they’re changemakers right now. 💪

On , United Way Centraide celebrates their leadership, their courage, and their vision for a better world. 🌟💛

08/07/2026

🎉 It’s 11 weeks until our 50th Telethon! 🎉

The countdown is on to celebrate five decades of community spirit, generosity, and making a difference together!

Year: 2017
President: Patrick Fisher
Goal: $325,000.00
Total Raised: $350,415.64

From dinosaur costumes to a surprise marriage proposal, the 2017 United Way Telethon had it all.

The weekend was filled with entertainment, laughter, and memorable moments. Then, just before everything wrapped up, longtime United Way board member Courtney Cossette was surprised with a marriage proposal, making an already unforgettable Telethon even more special.

As memorable as those moments are, the real excitement begins once the Telethon is over.

That's when the money raised immediately begins making a difference throughout our community. Every dollar supports local member agencies and community impact partners, helping them provide programs, services, and support to the individuals and families who rely on them. When the Telethon surpasses its goal, those additional dollars can also be distributed to the member agencies, allowing them to do even more for the people they serve.

As Patrick Fisher said in an interview following the Telethon, "In the end, nothing else matters than reaching our goal... we're able to go to our member agencies and say that what we said that we will give you, we are giving to you. In the end, that's what matters."

The community once again answered the call in 2017, raising $350,415.64 and ensuring the United Way could keep its promise to the organizations that make such an incredible impact across southeast Saskatchewan.

📸 What do you remember most about the 2017 Telethon? Was it a performance, an auction item, one of the dinosaur costumes, or maybe you were there for Courtney's surprise proposal? Share your memories in the comments below, or send your photos and stories to [email protected] to be featured as we count down to 50 years of supporting the community.

08/06/2026

We’re gearing up for Telethon 50! Get your 50th Telethon swag at www.aeroadvertising.ca/showroom-.html or stop in at Aero! We are Stronger Together!