Rainbow Connection telethon, auction set March 8 at Tuscarawas Central Catholic

The 53rd annual Tuscarawas County Rainbow Connection telethon and auction will be held Sunday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., broadcast from Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School.

The fundraiser is critical to the organization’s work assisting Tuscarawas County residents with medical needs. Auction items can be previewed at tuscrainbow.org.

“It’s our only fundraiser each year,” said Perci Garner, Rainbow Connection executive director. “We depend on it to allow us to continue to provide medical assistance to people in our community. This is really our Super Bowl. We are open to donations throughout the year, but I would say 90% of our funding comes from the telethon and lead-up to it.”

Garner said Rainbow Connection provides assistance for medical equipment, medical and dental bills, surgeries, prosthetics, hearing aids and other needs. The organization also provides sensory equipment for schools, help with medications for people with terminal illnesses, supplies for people with diabetes and assistance with accessibility projects.

“Many of the buildings in the area were built without handicapped residents in mind, and we try to help make them more accessible,” Garner said.

Garner said Rainbow Connection helped fund a new playground at Deis Hill Park in Dover and provided glasses for Tuscarawas Central Catholic students who are colorblind.

“Many people might look at that as a minor thing, but it’s actually very impactful for a child’s education,” Garner said. “There are things that might appear on signs that they’re just not able to see throughout the school day. We got to see the difference that made in person, and it was amazing.”

The organization also provides swaddlers for newborns through Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital.

“They have a program called Safe Sleep, where they help families understand how to care for their babies,” Garner said. “Sleeping with a baby in the bed accounts for a significant number of infant deaths. So we provide swaddlers so babies can sleep safely in their own crib.”

Garner said many people help make the telethon and auction possible, including board members, volunteers who answer phones, tally pledges and read donations on the air, along with students who sing and bring donations collected at school. Celebrity visitors also take part.

“It’s a lot of people coming together for our Super Bowl,” Garner said. “The community is always very supportive. They know when they donate to Rainbow Connection that it’s an organization they can trust and the money stays here to help people in the community.”

He credited former director Carmel Haueter with helping build trust and noted the organization’s longevity.

“We’ve also been around for 76 years, so that kind of longevity also helps build trust in what we do,” Garner said. “At the end of the day, people know the money they donate isn’t funding any larger organization above us. It’s staying right here and doing good things for people who need it.”

Garner said the auction includes about 100 items, with options ranging from smaller offerings to big-ticket experiences.

“We have some big-ticket items and smaller things as well,” Garner said. “We’ve really focused on that this year, in making sure there’s something for everybody, not just the big things.”

Items include box-seat tickets for four to a Columbus Clippers game with the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch; Ring cameras; a chance to cook alongside a professional chef; a Gregory James wine tasting for eight; and a package to train with boxer Andre Donovan.

Garner said one auction item includes tickets to any Indian Valley High School sporting event — any team, any sport — for the 2026-27 season.

Online bidding will open at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1, and close at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8.

Garner said donations can be made year-round and any amount helps.

“Small donations might help someone with medications,” she said. “Every donation helps what we do.”

The telethon will be available at tuscrainbow.org, on Spectrum TV channel 15 and on YouTube. Updates and announcements will be posted on the Rainbow Connection Facebook page. Pledges can be made by calling 330-343-1600 during the telethon.