Jerry Lewis Skate-a-thon Participant

White text on an outer red edge around an illustration of Jerry Lewis' head over the world with a red roller skate.

In 1966, comedian Jerry Lewis began the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Labor Day Telethon in Las Vegas. The telethon lasted twenty four hours and involved performances by a number of celebrities. Donations to the telethon were received from organizations across the country, including the Roller Skating Rink Operators of America. The RSROA was one of the largest contributors, raising funds through skate-a-thons held at local skating rinks. The donations received helped fund research and patient care programs that helped pay for medical equipment and orthopedic devices for muscular dystrophy sufferers.

Jerry Lewis parted ways with the MDA in 2010. By that time the show had become a two hour televised event. The final telethon was hosted in 2014, after having raised over $2 billion over its nearly fifty year run.