Variety telethon – featuring Maple Ridge twins – raises more than $6 million

The Variety Show of Hearts Telethon, featuring seven-year-old twins from Maple Ridge, raised more than $6 million in support of children with special needs.

Logan and Joseph Salembier, Grade 2 students at Maple Ridge Elementary, were featured on this years show that ended up raising a total of $6,681,873.

The event took place from Feb. 18 to 20 with the 55th annual Variety Show of Hearts Telethon airing on Global BC from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 20.

This year the event was expanded to three days and was presented in an all-new format – with inspiring Variety family stories airing on Global BC’s newscasts.

READ MORE: Maple Ridge twins on Variety telethon

Throughout the three days, viewers saw updates on children whom they were first introduced to during Variety Week, in addition to stories profiling new children who were also helped in 2020. Saturday’s telecast also featured the unveiling of the 610th Sunshine Coach to the Clements Centre Society in Duncan, along with performances by legendary songwriter and music producer, David Foster, singer and American Idol alum, Pia Toscano and Canadian rockers, Loverboy.

Logan and Joseph shared their story of how Variety pays for their leg braces because they both have low muscle tone and how the charity also supplied Joseph with special bottles for feeding when he was a baby because of a soft cleft discovered on the palette inside his mouth.

READ MORE: Maple Ridge boy receives Variety Red Heart Award

“This truly was the Show of Hearts with British Columbians once again opening their hearts to help make a difference in the lives of BC’s kids with special needs,” said Cally Wesson, Variety BC CEO.

“And it’s because of their incredible generosity that we’ll be able to help even more kids. We’re just so extremely appreciative that we can now say ‘yes’ to every child needing our help and that no child will be turned away,” he said, thanking donors across the province.

Anyone who would like to contribute to the Variety Show of Hearts can still donate online at variety.bc.ca or by texting “KIDS” to 45678 to make an automatic $20 contribution.