Organizers for the second annual Living the Dream Medal Fund Benefit Telethon Webcast have set some goals for this annual event.

The goal this year is to have at least 200 phone calls received during the telethon, as well as 200 signed National Teams posters mailed to donors from the two-hour show.

The telethon will be streamed “live” on TheMat.com from 9:00 p.m.– 11:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 20. 

Members of the 2011 U.S. World Championship Teams will be at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. to participate in the event. The athletes and coaches are taking a break from their training schedule to meet wrestling fans live on the telethon.

Each fan that calls and makes a minimum donation of $20 will get a personalized, autographed poster! These posters will be autographed in real time and feature the athlete which the donor talks with.

A different poster has been created for each of the 2011 U.S. World Team members, seven in each of the international styles. These colorful and well-designed posters are certain to be popular with wrestling fans of all ages.

Three of the athletes who are on the 2011 U.S. World Team have received bonuses from the Living the Dream Medal Fund based on winning World medals during this four-year Olympic cycle. They are 2010 World silver medalist Elena Pirozhkova in women’s freestyle, 2009 World silver medalist Dremiel Byers in Greco-Roman and 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev in men’s freestyle.

These three stars will be part of the telethon this year. The poster for Tervel Dlagnev is shown with this article.

"I think the telethon is great. We get to talk to people who are supporting us. When we talk to these people, we can thank them for their support. When they talk to us, they get instant feedback from us. The telethon is good for both the athletes and the donors. Without them, it wouldn't be possible for us to go for our dreams and reach for the top. They help us and we appreciate it," said Elena Pirozhkova.

Two other U.S. wrestlers who are not on this year’s World Team have received bonuses from this fund: 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert in men’s freestyle and 2010 World bronze medalist Tatiana Padilla in women’s freestyle.

The Living the Dream Medal Fund was established to substantially increase the financial rewards for U.S. wrestlers who win Olympic and World medals during this four-year Olympic cycle.

Any U.S. wrestler who wins a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England will receive a quarter-million dollars ($250,000). Silver medalists in London will earn $50,000 and bronze medalists in London will receive $25,000. The payout for a World Championships medal in 2009, 2010, and 2011 will be $50,000 for a gold, $25,000 for a silver and $15,000 for a bronze.

Wrestling personalities Al Bevilacqua and Jason Bryant will host the telethon. Both hosts are known nationally for their colorful personalities and passion for the world’s oldest and greatest sport! Jerry Lewis has nothing on these guys! 

The World Team athletes expected to be “on the telephones” to sign posters include:

Men’s Freestyle Team
55 kg - Nick Simmons
60 kg – Reece Humphrey
66 kg – Teyon Ware
74 kg – Jordan Burroughs
84 kg – Cael Sanderson
96 kg – Jake Varner
120 kg – Tervel Dlagnev

Greco-Roman World Team
55 kg - Spenser Mango
60 kg – Joe Betterman
66 kg – Justin Lester
74 kg – Jake Fisher
84 kg – Cheney Haight
96 kg – Justin Ruiz
120 kg – Dremiel Byers

Women’s Freestyle Team
48 kg – Clarissa Chun
51 kg – Whitney Conder
55 kg - Helen Maroulis
59 kg – Kelsey Campbell
63 kg – Elena Pirozhkova
67 kg – Adeline Gray
72 kg – Ali Bernard

Mark your calendar for Saturday, August 20 and join our nation’s World Team members as they greet the wrestling community directly and thank them for their support. Call in, make a donation and receive an autographed poster.