July 1, 2010; Source: The Portlander | Apparently a 24-hour day isn’t long enough for the organizers of a fundraising telethon that started Friday in Portland, Oregon and runs 30-hours straight. Called “30 Hour Day,” the other distinguishing feature of the telethon is that, unlike the better known charity fund-raisers that air around-the-clock, you won’t be able to tune into this one on television.

Instead, it will be live-streamed over the Web at the organizer’s own website. In addition, updates will be posted to Twitter or on Facebook. Still, like the more traditional telethons, there will be plenty of entertainment, including musicians, storytellers, and talk show hosts. The webathon will benefit the Oregon Food Bank, the Portland chapter of the American Red Cross, and p:ear, a group that serves homeless and transitional youth. This is well worth watching for possible replication if it is successful.—Bruce Trachtenberg