The show has aired on the weekend following Memorial Day each year since 1983. We are the world's largest telethon in terms of the total dollars raised. The show originated from the former Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah for the first four years, then moved to Disneyland's Videopolis in California from 1987-1995. In 1996, the production moved to DisneyWorld in Florida. The main difference between CMN and other telethons is that every nickel donated during the telethon stays in the town where it was donated, none of it comes to the national headquarters.
National sponsors help underwrite the cost of the live production.
Over the years our entertainment acts have included Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, Styx, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, the Oak Ridge Boys, Boyz2Men, Amy Grant, Wayne Newton, NSync, LeAnn Rimes, David Copperfield, John Tesh, Kenny Loggins, David Crosby, Graham Nash, the Osmond Brothers, Connie Stevens, etc. Preproduction for the telethon begins about 5 months prior to the actual show. Over the years this production element has blossomed into an essential part of the body of the show. The production truck is the largest all-digital production truck in the world. That year we used a GVG1000 that NDTC had installed in addition to the GVG4000.