By King Harris
Of all the events I’ve experienced in my career as a news journalist, none will ever quite compare to that of helping to create and participating in a seasonal event televised by KEYT-TV in Santa Barbara that became known as the “Christmas Unity Telethon.”
Its stage was both inside the studio and outside on the patio, high up on a mesa referred to as “TV Hill” overlooking the city.
With music provided by local school choirs to popular musicians and singers far and wide, persuaded by those who already lived in the area, it blossomed into an incredible 12-hour community celebration of seasonal spirit and Yuletide cheer, underscored by the cause to contribute to a multitude of less fortunate who otherwise might not experience any kind of Christmas whatsoever.
It was a bold undertaking. I don’t to this day know specifically whose idea it was, but it had its seeds in one charitable woman named, Barbara Tellefsen, who for many years had been collecting toys, clothing, and food at her tiny, Christmas Unity store downtown.
What if, she suggested in the Fall of 1987 to Sandy Benton, my more-than-receptive station manager, we could get all the various non-profit agencies like Food Bank, Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, and others to come together under one umbrella called “Christmas Unity” and work as one organization to ensure that gifts would be distributed more equally and efficiently?
And what if KEYT could provide some valuable airtime like a telethon to raise funds for the cause? Good ideas on both counts, ones that would come into fruition when Montecito resident and super songster, Kenny Loggins, entered the picture.
He suggested, in his quiet unassuming manner, that he could gather a whole bunch of musicians like himself who would perform for the event, free of charge, thereby ensuring a strong and wide audience. Who could turn down such a generous offer?
So while Loggins set out to contact his playmates, including former partner Jim Messina, and then-KEYT Production Manager, Don Katich, corralled a crew for the monumental task of producing the program, Benton, Tellefsen, and I went out to encourage and convince all the independent and territorial non-profits to join the unity collective.
There were of course a few egos that had to be converted. One in particular, rather stubborn and understandably so, was an old, gruff, and feisty retired Marine Corps officer, who had been in charge of the local Toys for Tots drive since the Stone Age. He wasn’t about to give up his cherished annual role as the agency’s Santa Claus.
He dug his heels in like the Japanese he fought on Iwo Jima. As news director, it became my mission to present this unusual and novel idea of cooperation and unity to him, and, as expected, it wasn’t received too well, not initially anyway. All the other agencies fell in line without much hesitation.
Our goal soon having for the most part been achieved, it was decided that all food, toys, and clothing gathered by all the non-profits would be delivered and housed at Tellefsen’s tiny Unity headquarters, located under the Victoria Theater. That was where the less fortunate folks throughout the community who qualified would enter her mini-warehouse to select items for their families and would leave with their dignity intact.
It was this very special part of the process that caught the attention of other actors, celebrities, and stars who lived in the area, and who would over the years very much desire to be a part of the annual fundraiser.
It was decided that an early weekend in December would be prime time for a live televised event broadcast on Channel 3, starting in the afternoon and wailing its way into the late evening.
KEYT’s news anchors and reporters, side-by-side with local luminaries, would provide the pitch for money and present the various musical performances sprinkled throughout the merry marathon.
The studio was transformed into what may as well have been someone’s giant living room, decked to the halls with a glowing fireplace right next to a huge decorated Douglas fir tree, with hundreds of colorful poinsettias interspersed among the brightly wrapped presents in all shapes and sizes.
Any space left over was dedicated to a phone bank, manned by tireless volunteers who collected pledges from the thousands of callers who phoned in to donate.
The patio deck outside was also spruced up as a backdrop for all the singers who came to perform their holiday harmonies. Cameras were provided for the Hollywood hosts entrenched in the Unity Shoppe, and for our roving reporters traveling the streets in the live van capturing the spirit and generosity of people all over town.
It was a highly spirited scene, and quite a magical time. Loggins, who said he would just make an appearance, got so into the evening, he confiscated my microphone and wouldn’t give it back for the rest of the night.
I had to grab a stand-by to interview Santa Claus, who I recognized and saluted as soon as I saw him — that old Toys for Tots Marine had decided to join the party.
The first KEYT Christmas Unity Telethon in December of 1987 was so successful that — I’m proud to say — many more would follow over the years. I am blessed as well for being a part of its inception.
It truly was a holy night, but silent, it was not.
