The funds will support continued children’s services at the hospital, officials said, adding that the official amount of monies raised won’t be known until the end of the month. However, every dollar raised through the benefit telethon will remain local to aid hospitalized children.
During this year’s telethon, which was aired live from Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon, organizers presented the first-ever Student Talent Show associated with the event. The show featured pre-taped performances by local junior high and high school students.
Viewers were encouraged to vote for their favorite performers by text message. The winning performance turned out to be “Rockin’ Pop Kids,” a local group featuring 12-year-old Brooke Wallace on vocals.
Wallace, a student at La Colina Junior High School, recently received services from Cottage Children’s Hospital and her story was featured during the broadcast. Her fellow bandmates are Claudia Riveroll, 13, of La Colina Junior High School, on lead guitar; Fabio Rodriguez, 11, of Peabody Charter School, on bass; and Marco Rodriguez, 13, of Santa Barbara Junior High School, on drums.