BOSTON -- For the 36th consecutive year, WCVB-TV Channel 5 will broadcast the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon beginning Sunday at 9 p.m.

The Labor Day weekend entertainment extravaganza, which airs live from Las Vegas and the studios of WCVB, features stars of stage and screen as well as Boston-area celebrities as they all join forces to raise funds for the association fighting to find a cure for crippling neuromuscular diseases.

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Joining Jerry Lewis as co-hosts this year are Nancy O'Dell, Jann Carl and Alison Sweeney. BooBoo Stewart, most recently seen as "Seth Clearwater" in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Brendan Barash, General Hospital's "Johnny Zachara," are scheduled to make appearances during the commercial-free telethon.

WCVB's Chronicle anchor Anthony Everett will lead Sunday night's live, local coverage from the station's Needham studios while NewsCenter 5 reporter Kelley Tuthill and StormTeam 5 meteorologist David Brown take over the hosting duties on Monday morning. Everett returns Monday afternoon with NewsCenter 5 anchor Liz Brunner for the conclusion of the telethon. In a series of reports in newscasts leading up to the telethon, WCVB will profile local families impacted by neuromuscular diseases and will feature research programs in search of a cure.

Jena Wiley Triggs is the local producer for the telethon and Dan Corey is the associate producer. Phil Rubin is the program's executive producer and director. Karen Holmes Ward is WCVB-TV's director of public affairs and community services.