The Aluminum City Telethon (ACT) was created in 1980 to stem the threat of closure by the Child Development Centre. Since then, the Society has continued to raise funds for charitable organizations within the District of Kitimat - essential services to the community. The Child Development Centre, Kitimat General Hospital, Tamitik Status of Woman, Kitimat Home Support Services and many other organizations have all received necessary funding from ACT.
Held at Mount Elizabeth Theatre, the people of Kitimat - all volunteers - provide the entertainment, cover the phone lines, organize the acts, build the scenery and make donations to the largest fundraising event in Kitimat's history. Industry and business donate funds, equipment, supplies, and services for the smooth running of the event. For many years, Skeena Broadcasters provided equipment and personnel to film the event and emcee Doug Smith hosted the event.
ACT 1989 marked a decade of community involvement in the fundraising variety show and a record amount raised of $67,000. ACT president Gerry Deiter said the outpouring of community support showed Kitimat definitely cared. In nine telethons since 1980, Kitimat residents pledged close to half-a-million dollars.
On October 20, 2002, the 23rd ACT raised $54,250 of which $32,750 was contributed to the following community organizations: The Child Development Centre, Kitimat Hospice Society, B.C. Special Olympics, Northern Health Authority, Kitimat Victim's Services and Tamitik Status of Women.
Custodial History
997.6 is a collection of 9 scrapbooks with photographs compiled by Dorothy Cheyne over a number of years and donated on August 27, 1997. 2011.2 is a box comprised of: 13 VHS Tapes, 14 packages negative strips, 291 colour photographs, 24 b&w photographs, 65 colour slides, 15 ACT buttons, 3 other buttons, 1 Participant Ribbon, 12 Kitimat Cares magnets, 6 ACT signs, 1 Kitimat Cares Banner, 2 ACT Tent Cards, and 2 Friends brochure, brought in on January 18, 2011 by Margaret Warcup. 2017.18 is historical material compliled by Mount Elizabeth Theatre and donated on March 5, 2017 by Chiara Guizzo. June 2021 Anne Berrisford brought in posters for ACT 1980 and 1988, as well as an ACT 1997 button, ACT 1980 thank you cards, folder of financial documents, and an ACT pledge of $1000 bag from Overwaitea Foods. All four donors were on the Aluminum City Telethon Committee for a number of years.
In 1987, Max Patzelt donated his photograph and negative collection - over 10,000 images - to the Museum. This talented and prolific photographer and businessman operated Kitimat Photo Supply and Max's Photo Studio for over 25 years.
Max took portraits of Kitimat citizens - babies, wedding parties, school classes, sports teams, local government - and recorded events for the Northern Sentinel and Alcan's ingot. School District No. 80 published many of Max's photos in promotional materials to attract teachers to Kitimat. Max photographed for Alcan and processed prints for the ingot.
Max became a resident of Kitimat in 1956 when he hired on at Alcan as a stud puller. He arrived in Kitimat with a camera around his neck. After a year in the lines, he had had enough. He resigned from Alcan, packed his bags and headed for the CN station to head to Vancouver.
Fred Ryan had recently established his photo studio, Kitimat Photo, retail photo processing and the town's only industrial photographers located in the Smeltersite recreation hall. Fred had heard of Max's photographic knowledge and rushed to the train station to offer Max a job running the new processing machine.
Max joined Kitimat Photo and was quickly "up to his ears in negatives" (ingot, May 22, 1987). They couldn't keep photographic equipment in stock - everyone who came for work in Kitimat purchased a camera. Max recalled that during the July 1 parade in 1957, he processed approximately 3,000 rolls of black and white film. It took days to process them all. With a new town and smelter, and surrounded by innovation, photography was just booming in Kitimat. Alcan wanted to document its construction events for both town and smelter, and workers wanted to document their time here.
Max and partner, Hazel Hatton, opened Kitimat Photo Supply Ltd. in City Centre in 1960. Max and Hazel operated the business until 1967 when Max moved the portrait studio, Max's Photo Studio Ltd., to Service Centre, and operated until 1987. Hazel kept the retail business Kitimat Photo in City Centre and operated until 1985.
Scope and Content
Three green binders containing the Max Patzelt Photo Collection Directory.
Photos of:
1-2. "Two photos showing site of Ice Rink 31 October 1963 B/W"
3. "Truck/Excavator in Kitimat River B/W"
4. "Kitimat Jr. Band Members 1990 Colored"
5."Lakelse Lake Recreational Area Coloured"
6. "Artist's conception of the estuary of the Kitimat River 1950 B/W"
7. "MGTF (owned by fireman) highway 25 6.5x6 1954 B/W"
8. "Mark Robinson Kitamaat Village 1960 B/W"
9. "Unknown Female"
Photos of:
1-2. "Two photos showing site of Ice Rink 31 October 1963 B/W"
3. "Truck/Excavator in Kitimat River B/W"
4. "Kitimat Jr. Band Members 1990 Colored"
5."Lakelse Lake Recreational Area Coloured"
6. "Artist's conception of the estuary of the Kitimat River 1950 B/W"
7. "MGTF (owned by fireman) highway 25 6.5x6 1954 B/W"
8. "Mark Robinson Kitamaat Village 1960 B/W"
9. "Unknown Female"
8 photos of Alcan Engineering. 1) Looking East From Centre Passageway Bldg 7B 2) Completed Roof Fan Walking on Potroom 8B West 3) Looking West in Potroom 8B West from Column Line 12 4) Potroom 8B East Looking East from Centre Passageway 5) General View of Progress of Work in Potline 8A East 6) Potroom 8B East Looking East from Centre Passageway 7) Looking East from Centre Passageway Bldg 8A 8) Looking West from Centre Passageway Bldg 8A
8 photos of Alcan Engineering. 1) Looking East From Centre Passageway Bldg 7B 2) Completed Roof Fan Walking on Potroom 8B West 3) Looking West in Potroom 8B West from Column Line 12 4) Potroom 8B East Looking East from Centre Passageway 5) General View of Progress of Work in Potline 8A East 6) Potroom 8B East Looking East from Centre Passageway 7) Looking East from Centre Passageway Bldg 8A 8) Looking West from Centre Passageway Bldg 8A
