70th CP Telethon cuts back to one day on TV, adds interactive livestream

Updated with Sunday’s NBA games moving to WBAY channel 2.3

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - After 70 years, and 70 weekends, the nation’s longest-running local telethon to appear on the same TV station for all those years, is switching up the tradition.

This year the CP Telethon will start with an interactive livestream on Saturday, March 2. It will be followed by the traditional telethon on WBAY-TV on Sunday, March 3.

“Our main goal has always been to ensure the telethon remains successful. As our community continues to change and become more diverse, we knew it was important to consider additional options to keep the telethon and CP top-of-mind,” Kristen Paquet, director of donor engagement and marketing for CP, said. “We felt that having something totally new, like the livestream, combined with the tradition of telethon, was the perfect way to recognize 70 years!”

The two-hour livestream Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. will be hosted by Action 2 News This Morning reporter Kristyn Allen.

“I’ve had a long history with CP. All three of my daughters have been there for some sort of therapy service,” Kristyn said. “I was approached and asked to host the new livestream this year and instantly said yes. I’m so grateful to CP and what the therapists there have done for my daughters, it’s the best way I know to give back.”

Sunday’s telethon will be carried by WBAY on-air and online from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with returning favorites including Let Me Be Frank, Southern Door 5th Graders, and the Heritage Academy of Irish Dance.

Call the VIP phone banks or donate online and watch the tally board for CP’s largest fundraiser of the year.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2: INTERACTIVE LIVESTREAM, 2-4 p.m.

The CP Telethon on WBAY-TV started in May 1954, less than a year after WBAY went on the air. Eventually it became a TV institution on the first weekend of March, always on a Saturday and Sunday, even during the pandemic.

“The livestream offers a unique option for viewers to interact with our staff and clients in real-time by asking questions, sharing comments and experiences,” Paquet said. “The livestream also gives our clients a new way to share what CP means to them on a more personal level.”

From 2 to 4 p.m. on the CP website, WeAreCP.org, host Kristyn Allen will talk with therapists and clients and share her own experiences with the organization.

She was introduced to CP when her oldest child was born with rare hand deformities and struggled with fine motor skills even after occupational therapy. “Someone recommended that I take her to CP. The thought had never crossed my mind. I thought CP was literally a place for people with cerebral palsy or at least more significant issues than what Bailey was dealing with. But, boy was I wrong. It’s a place for everyone. CP offers occupational, physical and speech therapy for children and they service children with what some might deem as minor challenges to those who have much more serious challenges.”

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She’ll host segments including Health and Wellness, giving viewers a look at the adaptive equipment clients use and how CP keeps their bodies healthy and their minds active. For viewers, CP will share a healthy recipe and a Spotify exercise playlist featuring clients’ favorite songs.

The livestream will also provide tips for parents from the therapy team, discussing sippy cups and screen time, toys and activities, and how to help your child’s development.

CP clients in the Adult Day Services program will take your questions about living with a disability during the Coffee Klatch.

People are encouraged to register in advance for the livestream at WeAreCP.org/telethon. Registration is not required. People who register can answer surveys for the CP Telethon’s version of “Family Feud” and then watch the livestream to see if their answers made the cut.

SUNDAY, MARCH 3: 70TH ANNUAL CP TELETHON, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday you can look forward to seeing familiar faces from Action 2 News, live entertainment with Let Me Be Frank Productions. “The day will feature things the community has come to expect, like fun music, great client stories, check presentations, and of course, VIPs will be there ready to take your call,” Paquet said.

“We are excited to have Southern Door 5th Graders (42nd year!), Sunnyside, and the Heritage Academy of Irish Dance back for another year as well,” Paquet wrote.

There will also be interviews and nods to the telethon’s 70 years on television.

The 70th annual CP Telethon airs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on WBAY-TV 2 or online at WBAY.com/live and the WBAY news app. It can also be seen all over the country on the WBAY app for Roku and other smart TVs and devices.

Donations can be made now and through telethon weekend at WeAreCP.org/telethon.

Two NBA games scheduled to air on ABC on Sunday will air live on WBAY channel 2.3 (Spectrum channel 993):

• 11:30 a.m.-230 p.m.: Philadelphia 76ers at Dallas Mavericks
• 2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Golden State Warriors at Boston Celtics