History

On Christmas Eve in 1925, 11 men, all in various forms of show business, found an abandoned baby girl in the Sheridan Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pa. A note pinned to her dress said that her name was Catherine, and her parents, unemployed, with eight other children, could not take care of her. The men "adopted" the baby girl and named her Catherine Variety Sheridan.

And they did just that. The Variety Club, which was formed as a social club by the men, decided to underwrite Catherine's support and education. Catherine became the first of millions of children around the world who have been touched through the efforts of Variety.

The first Variety event, a circus for children, established the theme for the organization. Each local chapter became a "tent," beginning with Pittsburgh as Variety Tent 1, and continuing as additional tents have been established. Today, there are more than 50 Variety Tents around the world. In addition, the Presidents of each Tent are known affectionately as "Chief Barkers." All of the money raised by each tent stay in the community and support the programs and facilities that benefit the children in and around that city.

Variety's mission is raising essential funds for the care and support of disadvantaged, physically challenged, sick and needy children around the world, and the creed of Variety is that "no one stands taller then when helping a child."

Buffalo is Variety Tent 7, and dedicated to raising funds for children's charities. Chartered on May 12, 1934, the Variety Club originally generated funds to provide iron lungs for polio victims, wheelchairs, braces and a host of other equipment. Benefactors of Variety's kindness now include Children's Hospital of Buffalo and many of its departments including the Intensive Care nursery, the Burn Treatment Center, and the Robert Warner Children's Rehabilitation Center. Of course, Variety does not exclude other children's charities; money also goes to Camp Good Days and Special Times, St. Mary's School for the Deaf, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Today Variety Clubs International is known as the greatest children's charity in the world. Millions of people of all nationalities, creeds, races, and economic status donating their time and every available resource to help children in need across the globe.

The Wellsville Area Satellite began in 1980 after Tim Colligan, while watching the Variety Club of Buffalo's annual telethon, noticed there was no telephone number for Wellsville. Taking the initiative, he, and fellow firefighter, Tim Aiken, co-Chaired the very first Wellsville Area Satellite phone center in 1981.

Along its 20-year life, the Wellsville Area Satellite has made many good friends who have helped raise almost $125,000. Among those who have so generously donated both their time and money to the Variety Club and Children's Hospital, are the people of the Whitesville Fire Department, giving so much of themselves since 1989, whether it was having a breakfast or selling raffle tickets. The Custom Express Car Club is another organization that has devoted itself to entertaining the public and helping the children of western New York at the same time. Donating since 1990, Custom Express has not only gave its money, but its time. Many of its members can be seen answering telephones at the Phone Center on Telethon Weekend as well as working 300 Clubs or selling raffle tickets. Fraternal organizations, especially the Elks Club, have given money as well as their facilities. In fact, for three years in a row, the satellite has had its Lucky 300 Club Elimination Drawing in the Wellsville Elks Club Lodge.

Of course, there are many other organizations and private citizens whose time and money we could never do without. To them, we are very thankful.