Comedian Jerry Lewis passed away in August of 2017, and I found some solace that he passed so close to Labor Day. For nearly 45 years, the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon raised money in the battle against Muscular Dystrophy, but it also did so much more.

The Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon marked the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, new work projects - it really was akin to a nationwide New Year's party. At least it was to me.

As a kid, I remember being glued to the television all weekend long, fighting to stay up overnight from Sunday into Monday to see all 20-some hours of the show.

I remember my parents joy at seeing the estranged Lewis reunite with Dean Martin at the hand of Frank Sinatra in 1976. And I remember hosting cut-ins for our local TV station myself in the 1980's.

I never kept a dry eye when Lewis ended each telethon singing "You'll Never Walk Alone." It was like Auld Lang Syne.

Labor Day Weekend has never been the same since Jerry stopped doing the telethon in 2010. And now Labor Day will seem even lonelier now that he has passed.

Think about making a donation to the MDA in Jerry's memory this weekend. Click here to do so.

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