The forty-third edition of The Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, which is known to be a yearly Labor Day week-end event, sets out to help the victims of Hurricane Gustav, encouraging those who have been evacuated from their homes to appeal to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) services.

According to a statement released to Access Hollywood, an approximate number of 5,000 families from the affected areas are registered to the MDA.

Moreover, it is said that Jerry Lewis will be asking the event’s viewers to make donations to the Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services, also, in addition to the ones that are to be made to the telethon itself.

The chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association initiated the 21 and a half hour telethon in 1965. It was first broadcast a year later, but only by one TV station in New York City. Nevertheless, the public was quickly hooked and the show managed to raise more than a million dollars. Over the years, the telethon’s popularity increased and it will now be broadcast by no less than 180 TV stations all across the country.

The fundraiser began Sunday at 9 a.m. at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa in Las Vegas. Each year, it aims at raising more money than it did the previous one, so the bar for 2008 is set at $63.8 million (last year’s amount).

This edition will also include an online auction of items donated by celebrities, MDA sponsors and others, which kicked off August 21 and is set to end September 4. Furthermore, scheduled to perform are artists Celine Dion, Kid Rock, Ludacris and Sugarland.

So if you ever said you wanted to do something to help the Hurricane Gustav victims, now’s the time to put your money where your mouth is.