From hospital cafeteria to local television production studio. Thats the transformation that will take place this week in preparation for this weekends (June 3-4) 2000 Childrens Miracle Network Telethon.

The broadcast will air from 9 p.m. Saturday through 6 p.m. Sunday on WDTV Bridgeport-Clarksburg, WTOV Stuebenville-Wheeling and WOWK in Charleston-Huntington. It will also be simulcast on Charleston radio station V100

This is the 16th consecutive year for the broadcast that raised nearly $1.2 million for WVU Childrens Hospital last year alone, said John Duwall, director of WVU Television Productions, producers of the local segments that originate live from the cafeteria of WVU Childrens Hospital.

Ann Marie Bishop, an 11-year-old from Weston, will be the Champion Child representing West Virginia at the host siteDisney Worldthis weekend.

A number of West Virginia patients and their families, along with local sponsors and others, will be featured on the locally-produced segments.

Local celebrity hosts and entertainers include Larry Nelson, Frank Blake, Bobby Nicholas, Sherrie McCutcheon and Kristin Farley.

They will join national hosts like comedian Bill Cosby, Fairmont native and former Olympian Mary Lou Retton, NFL quarterback Steve Young and ESPN broadcaster Robin Roberts.

“It literally takes hundreds of volunteers from around the state to put on the West Virginia portion of this telethon alone,”said Duwall.”It is one of the most worthwhile projects this University participates in.”