Photos courtesy U.Va. Children’s Medical Center

Dave Cupp, from WVIR-NBC 29, anchors the U.Va. Children’s Medical Center telethon.

June 11, 2004 -- Last Sunday night, history was made when Tom and Joan Sheehan called in their $20,000 pledge and put the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center Telethon over the $2 million mark for the first time ever. When Al & Cindy Schornberg of Keswick Vineyard and Winery called in minutes later with their pledge of $21,000, the scene on the telethon set on the 7th floor of the U.Va. Medical Center was jubilant. The final total for the Telethon was $2,046,270.

Once again, the Charlottesville area is the most generous in the country on a per capita basis, according to the Children's Miracle Network. Nearly $160,000 in pledges came in over the phones that weekend. Local Sam's Club and Food Lion also won awards from CMN for being the most generous in the country. Klockner Pentaplast added $200,000 with checks from their Walk for Kids (below), Casino Night, and Harley Raffle. The Sarah Du Bose Fund chipped in $187,000 from its Children's Ball and Dance Marathon. Employees from the U.Va. Children's Medical Center contributed over $20,000 in honor of the telethon's 20th year.

Special moments during the Telethon, broadcast on WVIR-NBC 29 on June 5 and 6, included the return of ex-29 weatherman Robert Van Winkle who had anchored the telethon for 17 years and now lives in Florida. Viewers also saw some flashback videos from telethons past as well as interviews with current and past patients who would not have survived without the U.Va. Children's Medical Center now living healthy lives as adults. Another point to note: both Dave Cupp and Angell Husted have anchored the Telethon for 20 years straight.

Special thanks to all who volunteered, donated, or contributed in any way to making this year so successful for the U.Va. Children's Medical Center. This year's funds will go a long way toward helping the children we care for every day.

The U.Va. Children's Medical Center is the premier children's hospital in Virginia and records over 90,000 patient visits per year. For more information, call Pat Belisle at 800-297-0102.

Pick up the current issue of Albemarle Magazine to see the feature story about the U.Va. Children's Medical Center.