Thank You Bob

   For 38 of the 39 years it's been on the air in Saskatchewan, Bob McGrath has hosted the Kinsmen Telemiracle telethon. This year was his last. At 82 the man probably best known from his years on Sesame Street has decided to step away from the microphone and retire.
   McGrath says he wants to spend more time with his family, but also says the decision wasn't an easy one. In fact, he says Saskatchewan is his 2nd home. He'd only missed one broadcast of the event that raises money for families of children with disabilities in the province, and that was due to a scheduling conflict.
   Telemiracle is somewhat of a tradition in Saskatchewan, and has raised more than 105 million dollars since it started. An awful lot of people tune in at one point or another during the event, and lots of people call in their pledges.
   News of McGrath's retirement was a bit of a shock, and there were a lot of people in TCU place in Saskatoon shedding tears. Including some of his co-performers like Canadian country singer Beverly Mahood, who's a veteran of 18 telethons.
   To say Bob McGrath is one of the "good people" is an understatement to say the least. The fact that he'd been willing to commit to a fundraising event in a place he doesn't live is testimony to that. During this weekend's event, Saskatoon's mayor paid tribute to him, by declaring March 8th as "Bob McGrath Day" in the Bridge City.
   Mr. McGrath: All I can add is thank you for all your years of helping in a worthy cause.

TTFN