This year was my first Teletón. Seems strange, considering I've spent a combined total of 30 months of my life in Chile. But since I studied abroad first semester, I missed it then, and Teletóns don't happen during Presidential election years (aka 2009) so I missed it last year too.But I'm getting ahead of myself. What is the Teletón? It's a phoneathon fundraiser that takes place every December (except Presidential election years). It lasts for a continuous 27 hours to raise money for Fundación Teletón rehabilitation centers throughout Chile for children with developmental disabilities. It was started in 1978 by Don Francisco, aka Mario Kreutzberger, a TV personality who hosts Sábado Gigante, a variety show that is well known throughout Latin America.
During the 27 hour transmission, all the major network TV channels in Chile transmit the show. It's a combination of entertainment (Ricky Martin, Faith No More, Americo, etc performed this year), testimonies from children who are recipients of the rehabilitation centers' services, the presentation of donations and advertisements from the companies that sponsored the Teletón.
So now, my impressions. First of all, I think this is a great cause. This year, the Teletón raised over US $35 million for the construction of and continued functioning of rehabilitation centers throughout Chile. There is no doubt that these children and their families benefit enormously from this service. Also, I think this event definitely brings Chileans together in solidarity with a great cause, and after the year Chile has had, this is definitely a positive thing.
There were two things that rubbed me the wrong way. The first being that it kind of felt like a 27 hour advertisement for the companies that sponsored the Teletón. The second was that I didn't like the constant scolding by Don Francisco and the emcees about the lack of funds flowing through. At the beginning, when they called into various banks throughout the country, the banks would report how much they had earned so far compared with last year. In most cases, it was lower, and the emcees would act disappointed and call on the people of that region to get to the bank to donate. However, in the end, they surpassed their goal of $16 billion pesos and change, so I'm not sure all the scolding was really necessary.
So there you have it, Teletón. Oh, and I have to say that I still have this little ditty stuck in my head (it's the number of the bank account, in case you were wondering).
7 comments:
I also have mixed feelings about the Teleton. On the one hand, helping kids with disabilities is a great cause. I'm always moved by their families' stories and by those of people who make sacrifices to help others despite their own difficult circumstances (like the Tocopilla earthquake survivors who donated a few years ago).
On the other hand, though, I find it pretty sickening how commercial the whole thing is. Every year, stores use the Teleton to guilt people into shopping. ("If we sell 250 refrigerators before 4 p.m., we'll donate $X to the Teleton! Hurry up, we're 100 short!") Also, it's disturbing to me that the Teleton is frequently portrayed as the be-all and end-all of national human solidarity -- the message being that donating to the Teleton makes you a good Chilean -- when there are so many other worthy causes that go ignored.
Teleton helps a lot of families and children that otherwise would be left on their own to face their situations. That´s great.
What I don´t like, (like Leigh said) is the part where Lider Supermarket says "if we make 400.000 sales today, we´ll "donate" $100 million pesos. That´s $250 clp per sale (50 US cents)so the bigger chunk of it ends in their pockets.
The same with Ripley (multistore).
Those companies make a HUGE profit during Teleton, and then appear on screen saying "we couldn´t be apart from this great cause, so we donate this year $X..."
People should go directly to the bank account and deposit, and ignore the terror campaign imposed by those companies, that make money "care raja" (sorry, I don´t know how to say that in english), in front of the entire country durin Teleton.
Ugh, I have a huge problem with the Teletón and the all powerful, Don Francisco (gag), who has turned himself into the face of charity.
Leigh really nailed my sentiments - the fact that so many Chileans speak of their solidarity and generosity in terms of what they donated to the Teletón (oh, and my personal favorite, Hogar de Cristo), while totally ignoring other important causes.
The earthquake response and now the prison fire are two more times when I just didn't get where so many saw solidarity, when I saw negligance and apathy toward fellow Chileans. And the miners...that's a whole different story...
Oh, just sar Marmo's comment...totally agree.
That Lider has the balls to ask for your exta pesos at the supermarket, saying that it goes to Hogar de Cristo, when they take a chunk of those donations as pure profit is disgusting.
I haven't looked into it, but have heard that the cashiers take the heat if they don't make a certain amount in donations each day. I've gotten several nasty comments for saying I didn't want to donate and never understood why that person gave a damn if I did or didn't, but if they are personally responsible for customers´charity each day, it makes they'd be a little snide.
Whoa, Lider takes a cut of those Hogar de Cristo donations?! I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but that's just plain nauseating!
I didn´t know that about Lider and hogar de Cristo donations... Now I have a little volcano over my groundhog head
i'm searching for stats and such now, but meanwhile, this link is interesting:
http://www.elsoldeiquique.cl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=499:sindicato-lider-denuncia-que-hogar-de-cristo-y-supermercados-lider-obligan-a-cajeras-a-exigir-donativos&catid=57:titulares&Itemid=110
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