Chris Treadway: Telethon will benefit Richmond Art Center

By Chris Treadway
Contra Costa Times
Posted:   05/30/2012 11:50:49 AM PDT
Updated:   05/31/2012 09:36:29 AM PDT

Telethon fundraisers used to be a staple of public television stations and Jerry Lewis.
A local version of a telethon will be telecast for 12 hours Saturday with a goal of raising funds for spring and summer programs at the Richmond Art Center.
The live telethon from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on KCRT, the city's cable channel, is the centerpiece event of the RAC's "I am the Richmond Art Center" spring campaign that has a goal of bringing in $120,000.
Volunteers will staff phone banks to take calls from donors who want to help the center to continue serving the community as it has for 76 years.
Works created by the center's award-winning artists will be up for auction online, and the winning bidders will be announced on the air.
In the days before the broadcast, auction items will be posted on the center's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/richmondartcenter.
Auction items, additional emcees and special guests will be announced on the center's Facebook page and its twitter feed (@theRACenter) as they are finalized.
"The purpose of the telethon is to inspire people to donate, to take classes, to visit exhibits, to get involved," said Liz Padilla, chairwoman of the fundraiser.
The not-for-profit center relies primarily on fees paid by members and students, contributions from sponsors, institutional foundation grants, and gifts from major donors.
Area artists, community leaders, celebrities and musicians have agreed to participate in the telecast, and emcees will include actor, writer and director Terry McGovern, author and interviewer Eileen Malone and broadcast journalists Rob Artigo of KGO, Dana King of KPIX and Rita Williams of KTVU.
There will also be taped segments with teachers, students and artists from the center, which has served the community for 76 years, and a documentary on "Blossoms and Thorns," the acclaimed exhibit on the history of the Japanese-American greenhouses in Richmond.
Adding to the entertainment value are a dozen bands lined up for segments during the telecast, including Mr. Loveless, Plik Plok and Dum Spiro Spero.
Musical performances are open to the public and will be held in the Main Gallery at the center, 2540 Barrett Ave. There is a $10 suggested entrance donation for the performances.
KCRT can be found on Channel 28 for Comcast cable subscribers.
On AT&T U-Verse, go to Channel 99 (click on "Richmond" tab and select KCRT). Online it can viewed via Justin TV at www.justin.tv/richmondartcenter.
Those who want to volunteer or be a sponsor during the telethon can contact Padilla at 510-620-5530 or liz@therac.org.
Sponsor-in-kind Extreme Pizza is already on board to deliver free pizzas throughout the day for performers and volunteers.
Contact Chris Treadway at 510-262-2784 or ctreadway@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/christreadway. Stay up-to-date on West Contra Costa news at IBABuzz.com/westcounty.