Picture this.... a summer morning in the early 70s. Mom and Dad are sleeping. Kid (me) tiptoes into the living room to watch cartoons. No cartoons are on, instead it's a telethon. What? There are people who need my money? Sure. So I call the number. Say I'd like to donate $20 dollars. I was maybe 5. I thought that was a lot of money. Operator asks all these questions. I was doing fine until mailing address. Hold on a minute, I'll ask my mom! Mom opens one eye and mumbles mailing address. I go back to the operator. 30 seconds later, Mom appears in the doorway. What are you doing? She now says she was just glad I donated $20, not $2,000.
I honestly don't recall if that was a Jerry Lewis telethon or not, but I do remember them. RIP.