It's all over now.
By the time it finished, they'd raised over two and a half million dollars! That may not sound like much but for a small TV station in a small country like NZ, it's not bad.
Well done Maori TV.
And well done Fonterra - the milk producers - they handed over a cheque at the last minute for one million. Otherwise the total would have only been one and a half million. They also sponsored much of the telethon and presented $600 thank you gifts to people who had helped during the clean-up, like the family who kept providing free water to anyone who needed it.
The money will be used for things like sorting out/fixing up school halls or scout halls that would normally be funded by fairs and galas - money usually raised by parents, for things that insurance doesn't cover or for people who don't have sufficient insurance coverage. It's going to be aimed at community type things.
This telethon has encouraged people all over the country to pull together, to do silly things and provide entertainment that not only raises money but also raises the spirits of the people of Christchurch (who are still experiencing aftershocks).
Robyn