Today I was doing some research for a piece I'm working on, and I googled the words, "lyrics, jerry lewis telethon."It's old news to most of us that back in the day, kids with cp and lots of other mobility disabilities would be put on display as a means of raising money on the annual telethon. For the life of me I couldn't remember the words of the song the kids sang year after year.
I found the lyrics online. The song goes like this:
Look at us, we're walking,
Look at us, we're talking,
We who never walked or talked before.
Look at us, we're laughing,
We're happy and we're laughing,
Thank you from our hearts forevermore.
But there are so many other children
Who only speak with a silent prayer
For those of us who haven't been so lucky
We hope and pray you will always care.
And someday they'll be walking
Someday they'll be talking.
Imagine walking to the candy store!
But the fight has just begun
Get behind us everyone
The hope will make our dreams come true-
Thanks to you, thanks to you.
I was a poster child too--for a disability organization in Montreal where I grew up. I was eight years old and begged for money in English and French. I was a professional .I wore a pretty dress and crown and smiled until my face hurt. It got to the point where I simply expected bipeds to give me money when I asked for it. Years later, at various jobs I've had to do some work in "Development' as it is politely called. Anything to do with fundraising now makes me break out in a sweat, I 'numb out' and am always surprised at how furious it makes me.
Anyone out there with poster child memories to share?
