Look To The Stars News: Sports

Tony Hawk Invites P Diddy To Stand Up For Skateparks

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Skateboarder Tony Hawk is to hold a family festival in Las Vegas that features music, action sports, and a unique auction to benefit at-risk youth.

The Las Vegas Strip has seen some incredible productions over the years, but Saturday, November 7 will mark the first time the world of action-sports descends upon the Wynn Las Vegas resort for a day of fun and festivities for the whole family, all to benefit an important cause.

Join Tony, fellow Benefit Committee members Sean Diddy Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dana White, Jr., Ron Burkle, Michael Eisner, Andrew Pascal, Elaine Wynn, Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III, Robin Greenspun, Travis Barker, and Jeff Fine, and their celebrity guests for an exclusive afternoon of fun, games, music, skateboarding, and BMX, while helping the Tony Hawk Foundation bring free, quality public skateparks to youth in low-income communities across the U.S.

Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks is an outdoor action-sports carnival, featuring a Vert Demo with top skateboarding and BMX pros, including Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Jamie Bestwick, Andy Macdonald, Simon Tabron, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, Dennis McCoy, and Kevin Staab riding on Hawk’s personal ramp, plus a special musical performance by Rancid.

Now in its sixth year, Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks raises critical funds to support the Tony Hawk Foundation’s mission to bring high-quality, free public skateparks to youth in low-income communities across the U.S. A special Pledge Drive at the event will also raise funds to help rebuild Freedom Skatepark, which serves at-risk youth in Las Vegas. Through live and silent auctions, Guests will have the opportunity to support the Tony Hawk Foundation and win some incredible items and experiences:

DUB Edition Customized Tony Hawk 2010 Dodge Challenger RT  This Reigning King of the asphalt jungle is a one-of-a-kind custom ride, including 372 Horse Power 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 engine, 22" Custom TIS Luxury Wheels with Pirelli Tires, Tony Hawk detailing (including Logo Embroidery on Headrest), SAVV DVD Player with two 7" monitors, Rockford Fosgate 10"subwoofer box with 200-watt amp, and more!
Be A Secret Skater in the next Activision Tony Hawk Video Game The winning bidder will get a full-body scan and have a character created in his or her likeness to appear in the next Activision Tony Hawk game.
Roadie For A Day with Miley Cyrus for (4) You and three others will have the exclusive chance to be backstage to see how a superstar concert works. Spend the day with the crew bringing Miley’s show to life and enjoy the show from the side of the stage—plus a special meet and greet with Miley!
JetBlue Airways Fly Anywhere Tickets between any nonstop destinations Enjoy (2) travel letters good for roundtrip travel on JetBlue Airways, from any city to any nonstop city.
Taunovo Bay 5-Star Resort And Spa 4-Bedroom Beachfront Grand Villa, Fiji Enjoy seven-nights in a 4-bedroom beachfront Grand Villa for up to (8) adults and (4) children, including river rafting, waterfalls, zip lining, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, and much more in this luxurious, private resort.
The Ultimate Jason Taylor Experience Your Experience will include four (4) tickets to a Miami Dolphins home game of your choice, four (4) pre-game field passes that allow you access to the sideline, an autographed football, a personal tour of the Miami Dolphins training facility, plus a 30-minute training-film session with Jason Taylor!
11,000-Square-Foot Beachfront Punta Mita, Mexico Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa Mita resort development at the north shore of Bahia de Banderas, 40 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. Includes villa staff, houseman, maid, cook and concierge service.
Soccer Clinic with U.S. Women’s Soccer Icon Mia Hamm for (10) Ten (10) youths will experience a soccer clinic with one of the worlds greatest, Mia Hamm, who led the U.S. to gold medals in the Olympics and victory in the World Cup. Includes autographed Nike soccer balls for each participant. Clinic to take place in Los Angeles.

Several other unique items and experiences will also be offered, including a 7-Time Tour De France Champion Lance Armstrong Autographed Trek Bike, Tony Hawk Signature Series Autographed Dynacraft BMX Bike, signed skateboards from Tony Hawk, Shaun White, Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez, and others, plus other signed memorabilia, dining and vacation packages, and items that would make excellent Holiday gifts.

Tickets and packages for Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks are still available. Order Tickets here or contact C.C. Hafner at 760-477-2479 or cc@tonyhawkfoundation.org.

If you aren’t able to attend Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks but would like to support the creation of a free public skatepark in a low-income neighborhood in Las Vegas, you can text the word RIDE to 90999 to make a $5 donation to the Tony Hawk Foundation*. Through Friday, November 6, all text donations will be dedicated to the rebuilding of Freedom Skatepark in Las Vegas.

For more info about the event, go to the official website.

Inaugural Noble Awards Celebrate Hollywood Philanthropy

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Look To The Stars was proud to be part of the inaugural Noble Awards on Sunday, October 18 – an event that honored a host of charities and the celebrities that support them, elevating awareness of the significant impact of their work.

Held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the event honored Morgan Freeman with a lifetime achievement award, as well as Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org).

Lionel Richie was on hand during the ceremony to present an award to Joel Madden, who attended the event with Nicole Richie and his brother Benji.

“I want to welcome him to our family and present this Noble award to a guy I love very much – Joel Madden!” said Lionel as he introduced Joel to the crowd.

“They are just as much a part of it,” said Madden, paying tribute to Nicole and Benji. “Nicole does just as much as I do with Art of Elysium and all the charities we work with. And so does Benj – Benj actually does more then I do, and he plays the guitar better then I do, so he is a little more entertaining for the kids.”

Madden later Twittered about the emotions he felt as he accepted his award: “Just left the NOBLE awards. Got an award that was really for the people at the Art of Elysium. Awesome folks and I’m humbled to know them. By the way got totally choked up when I got my award. I hate thinking about kids in the hospital, they should be getting the awards not us.”

The award itself was designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Morgan Freeman received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“I think so often we don’t know that our gestures matter,” said Teri Hatcher, who was also honored. “I think when you get involved in your local community charity you really do see you make a difference and it’s empowering for you.”

Look To The Stars was at the awards, and we will bring you more about the fantastic event over the coming days.

Look To The Stars Helps Promote Hollywood Philanthropy At Noble Awards

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look to the Stars is pleased to announce that we will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

The inaugural Noble Awards, taking place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18, has announced five new award honorees. The Blind Project, The Lollipop Theater Network, Padres Contra el Cancer and Playing for Change will be honored along with six previously announced charities. In addition, Morgan Freeman will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. The two-hour event, hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the significant impact of their work.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Billy Bush (Lollipop Theater Network), Kenny Edmonds (Stand Up To Cancer), Teri Hatcher (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Norman Lear (Playing for Change), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium), AnnaLynne McCord (The Blind Project), Nancy O’Dell (Best Buddies International), Eva Longoria Parker (Padres Contra El Cancer) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org). During the ceremony, each will be presented with an award sculpture, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Brian McKnight and Julio Iglesias, Jr., along with Emily Bear and Timothy Mitchum will provide live musical performances throughout the evening.

“We are delighted to present these eleven distinguished charities and their celebrity supporters with the inaugural Noble Award,” stated Janeen Mansour, creator and executive producer of The Noble Awards. “With the presentation of The Noble Awards, our goal is to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large.”

Morgan Freeman will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his tireless work and dedication to over a dozen non-profits. Freeman’s diverse charitable efforts include working with American Red Cross, Artists for a New South Africa, the Campaign for Female Education, Earth Biofuels, Grenada Relief Fund, Mississippi Animal Rescue League and Mississippi State College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman has also done PSAs for Sierra Club, and a number of Entertainment Industry Foundation campaigns, covering issues like colon cancer prevention, health care reform and volunteerism.

“The Entertainment Industry Foundation is pleased to be a part of the inaugural Noble Awards,” said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of Entertainment Industry Foundation. “We are honored and so proud to present our dear friend and exceptional actor Morgan Freeman with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding charitable work and ongoing contributions to so many important social causes.”

The Noble Awards will kick off the “Be A Noble” Movement, a perennial effort to encourage each and every person to “Be A Noble,” and inspire them to give back and take action with a purpose on a global scale. Some of these initiatives include:

Look to the Stars will work year-round with The Noble Awards to promote philanthropy in Hollywood.

As part of next year’s Cup with a Cause program, 7-Eleven, in collaboration with The Noble Awards, will produce a series of celebrity-designed coffee cups featured in stores nationwide. A minimum of $250,000 will go towards each participating celebrity’s charity of choice. During The Noble Awards’ cocktail hour, guests will be asked to design cups as part of the program.

Participant Media and Takepart.com, the official “action” platform for the Awards, have partnered with the “Be A Noble” Movement to provide the Foundation with a web platform to showcase the work of all the organizations they are honoring throughout the year.

ONEHOPE Wine has bottled an award-winning varietal of wine to be labeled “NOBLE.” 100% of all proceeds from each bottle will go towards the “Be A Noble” Movement, to be distributed among the honored charities.

Rumblefish Jewelry will design a jewelry line based on The Noble Awards and “Be A Noble” Movement, where a percentage of sales will be donated to Noble charities.

Additional partners include EIF/iParticipate, The Hollywood Reporter, Audi, Beverly Hilton, Mobile Cause, Rosenthal and GoodSearch.

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of The Noble Awards. Produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization, the first annual awards will take place on October 18, 2009. The Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round movement to BE A NOBLE to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

Noble Awards Set To Honor Celebrity Humanitarians

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:30:00 -0000

As the film industry has the Oscars, television the Emmys and the music industry the Grammy Awards, the charity community and its most dedicated Hollywood supporters will gain global recognition with the staging of the inaugural Noble Humanitarian Awards, to take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, October 18. And Look To The Stars is proud to support it.

The two-hour event, produced on behalf of the non-profit Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, seeks to annually honor up to a dozen charities and celebrities who actively support them, elevating awareness of these organizations and the impact of their work.

The organizations to be honored at this first-annual ceremony include The Art of Elysium, Best Buddies International, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, DoSomething.org, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Keep A Child Alive, The Salvation Army, Stand Up To Cancer and Women’s Sports Foundation.

Celebrities who will accept awards on behalf of the charities being honored include Laila Ali (Women’s Sports Foundation), Jessica Biel (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles), Alicia Keys (Keep A Child Alive), Joel Madden (The Art of Elysium) and Brett Ratner (DoSomething.org), with others currently being confirmed. During the ceremony, each will be presented with the trophy award, designed by Antonio Banderas, with personal touches added by children who participated in The Art of Elysium workshop at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Other performers and presenters will be announced closer to the event.

With nearly two decades of experience across entertainment, fashion and charitable projects, Janeen Mansour is creator and executive producer of the Noble Humanitarian Awards. Mansour, who has interviewed many celebrities, was inspired to create a dedicated award show for the charity community after interviewing the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and learning about her significant charitable work.

“Celebrities have long given their time to charity, championing causes they feel passionate about. Their support draws media coverage, and organizations benefit. With the Noble Awards, we aim to turn the spotlight back onto these celebrities and charities in an effort to provide recognition, to educate, to inspire, and to encourage even more support from the Hollywood community and the public at large. It’s an annual celebration of service and volunteerism,” explains Mansour.

A team of entertainment veterans join Mansour in producing the Noble Humanitarian Awards. They include Ziad Batal (Executive Producer), founder of All 4 Media, one of the most prominent film and television production companies and creator and producer of dozens of reality, talk and sports programs in the Middle East; Michael Seligman (Producer), President & CEO of Seligman Entertainment, Inc, whose 35 years of work includes the Oscars, the Emmy’s, AFI’s, Kennedy Center Honors and Stand Up To Cancer; Tisha Fein (Producer), whose three-decade experience includes the Emmys, Grammys, Tonys, World Music Awards, Fashion Rocks, Movies Rock and Stand Up to Cancer.

The Noble Humanitarian Awards are produced on behalf of the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation, a non-profit organization. With the staging of the first annual awards on October 18, 2009, the Celebrity Charity Awards Corporation will launch a year-round campaign to better unify the efforts of charities with celebrities, influencers, media and everyday citizens in order to create an effective forum for change and service. For more information, please visit www.thenobleawards.org.

John McEnroe Leads City Parks Tennis Event

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Regina Walton

On Tuesday, September 1, the CityParks Foundation of New York City held its annual CityParks Tennis Benefit, co-chaired by Billie Jean King and John McEnroe. Held each year during the US Open, the event took place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows.

For the attendees, the evening was divided into four sections: reception and silent auction, dinner and awards presentation, live auction and then it was time for the evening matches. It gave CityPark donors time to bid on some great items, dine and socialize, as well as plenty of enough time to enjoy the evening matches.

Tennis legends were also on-hand during the event. John McEnroe and his band played during the reception and silent auction. During the dinner, Mary Carillo and Billie Jean King gave entertaining and inspiring speeches. Billie Jean talked about her deep connection with CityParks Tennis. She was one of the founding members and was very proud of what the organization has achieved. The speech section of the evening culminated with Carmen Ramirez receiving the Billie Jean King Junior Award and with Benjamin Doller receiving the Vitas Gerulaitis Community Service Award. Ms. Ramirez from Queens, New York, is a 17-year-old who has been a student of the CityParks program for seven years. She gave an inspiring speech about how the program has influenced her life. She has big dreams. Thanks, in part, to CityParks, she plans to attend college on a tennis scholarship.

During the reception, John McEnroe made sure he reminded the attendees about why they were there. While his band was playing, he encouraged the audience with lighthearted but earnest requests to participate in the silent auction and to donate generously to the CityParks Tennis program. He even offered a personal lesson. His encouragement must have been successful because the benefit raised over $300,000 for the program. This is the second highest amount in the event’s history.

The annual event raises important funds for CityParks Tennis. CityParks Tennis celebrates its 20th year anniversary this year. The program is a free youth instructional program that serves over 7,500 children in parks throughout New York City. It is one of the largest municipal tennis programs in the country. CityParks Tennis provides free tennis lessons to thousands of New York City’s kids ages 5 to 16. The program reaches over 7,500 kids in 40 parks in all five of New York City’s boroughs. The program encourages kids to be physically fit and develop self confidence. The program is available to kids at all skill levels from beginner lessons to organized tournaments.

The program has been massively successful. It has an advanced training academy, which offers talented youth in financial need the chance to bring their game to a higher competitive level. Hundreds of graduates from this program have earned college athletic scholarships, as well as sectional and national rankings. The program has also produced two players who have gone on to play on the junior level at the US Open.

To learn more about the CityParks Tennis program and to donate, click here.

Stars Sign Balls For Little League

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Fans will soon be able to catch a series of baseballs signed by their favorite stars for charity.

On Friday, August 21, Little League Baseball will launch a very special online auction featuring over 40 balls signed by stars such as Zac Efron, Drew Barrymore, Billy Crystal, James Earl Jones, Charlie Sheen, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Connolly, Larry King, the Kardashian family (Kim, Khloe & Kourtney), James Denton and Milo Ventimiglia. Additional balls have been signed by athletes including Michael Phelps, Jeff Gordon, Michael Strahan, Ryan Howard, Barry Sanders, Dave Winfield, Blake Griffin, Albert Pujols and others.

The auction will kick off on Friday on eBay.com, and fans will be able to access it by searching for “Baseball Design Across America.” The auction will last 10 days (concludes Aug. 30) and all the proceeds benefit Little League. Little League Baseball involves more than 2.8 million children and 1 million volunteers, and over 30 million people have played in Little League programs.

The Little League World Series begins Aug. 21 in Williamsport, PA. The celebrity signed baseballs will be on display at the games as a part of SUBWAY’s Baseball Design Across America tour. More info here

Exclusive: British Sports Stars Launch GO4KIDS2012

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Richard Barker

Olympians and elite athletes took time out from their training into order to attend the London Coaching Foundation’s pre-launch event which was held on Friday, July 17, 2009 at Electric Birdcage in London’s West End. It kick-started the £1m GO4KIDS2012 fundraising campaign.

Olympic and World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu was joined by Tasha Danvers, Dwain Chambers and many other Olympians.

Ohuruogu, MBE, who works tirelessly to encourage the sport’s grassroots take-up, was announced as ambassador of the GO4KIDS2012 campaign.

The impressive guest list included Olympians, elite athletes as well as guests from the sporting, fashion, media and business world. Their aim was to support the Foundation’s mission to ensure a sporting legacy for young people after London 2012.

The involvement of Ohuruogu and her fellow Team GB Olympians in GO4KIDS 2012, confirms their commitment to developing the next generation of British athletics. The credibility of the Foundation’s outreach work has been made possible by the motivation and commitment of many of Britain’s international athletes and coaches.

The London Coaching Foundation (LCF), a not-for-profit charitable trust, was set up eighteen years ago to deliver grassroots athletics programmes in the capital, sending elite coaches and international athletes into schools and colleges.

The GO4KIDS2012 pre-launch campaign, will also complement the Foundation’s hugely successful ‘Have a Go Day’ and London Community Athletics Days, which have been staged across London with the support of the organisation’s volunteer network of current and former Olympians.

These programmes are essential strands in the Foundation’s mission to bring athletics, education and excellence to London’s young people. The funds raised will not only deliver valuable opportunities to promising young athletes, but will also develop and mentor up to ten thousand disadvantaged youngsters of various sporting abilities.

John Herbert, CEO of London Coaching Foundation, four-time Olympian and Team GB coach said “This event proves you can start something with nothing. We hope people look at us as social entrepreneurs and mentors. The GO4KIDS2012 campaign will give inspiration to London’s disadvantaged young kids and our as yet undiscovered young sporting talent leading into 2012. This event is also a reminder that these former and current Olympic athletes and coaches take their work with the Foundation’s programmes very seriously and without their volunteering support we would not have kick-started the sporting lives of many young people.”

Dwain Chambers commented “I’m here in support of GO4KIDS, because I believe in investing in grass roots. This campaign will ensure that our community will continue to produce gold medal winning athletes.”

Christine Ohuruogu added “I’m a huge supporter of anything that gives the opportunity for all children of all ages to get involved in sports. The GO4KIDS campaign does!”

Upcoming GO4KIDS 2012 campaign fundraising events include:

The “GO4K with an Olympian” – Family and Friends London Fun Run

The “Cat & Track Ball” – When Sport meets Fashion on the Catwalk. A unique Fashion Show featuring Olympic athletes modelling down the catwalk alongside professional models Natasha Wright, Leila Starup and Anna Heffernan, who have been featured in Vogue, Elle & Glamour.

Click here for more info.

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Curtis Granderson Hosts Charity Bachelor Auction

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Major League Baseball player Curtis Granderson hosted a charity wine evening and bachelor auction last night, July 23, to raise money for his Grand Kids Foundation.

The Detroit Tigers star raised around $40,000 for his foundation – which he established to help underprivileged children in Detroit and other areas – and the auction saw some of his MLB friends go under the hammer as eligible bachelors. Memorabilia from Magic Johnson, Joe Montana and Kid Rock was also sold for the cause. Two women paid over $6,000 each for dates with Granderson.

The foundation helps provide educational resources for schools and students in need while establishing scholarship programs in Detroit and Flint, and providing equipment for inner-city athletics programs.

“The importance of education is something I cannot stress enough to our nation’s youth, and I want to help find ways to ease the burden within some of these inner city schools while also striving to make learning more fun,” said Granderson. “Facilities and supplies are old and worn, classrooms are overcrowded, and scholarship programs are limited.”

Celebrities Do Whatever It Takes For Charity

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A huge selection of celebrity-designed bags and T-shirts are currently available at the UK’s premiere celebrity charity auction website, Buy Once Give Twice.

The auction site is hosting the auction for Whatever It Takes, a unique charity artwork project which inspires hope by gathering artworks from leaders in all fields; royalty, film, music, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, sports, literature etc. The artworks are used to ethically produce Whatever It Takes products which are then sold to raise funds for charitable causes chosen by each contributing leader.

Going under the hammer in the auction are T-shirts featuring designs by The Killers, Pink, Snoop Dogg, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Duff, Lucy Liu, Toni Collette, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, Keane, Whoopi Goldberg, Green Day, Barry Manilow, Penelope Cruz, Melanie C, Annie Lennox, and the Kaiser Chiefs. There are also bags and purses designed by Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Lucy Liu, Kanye West, Slash, David Bowie, Ozzy Osbourne, and Stella McCartney.

Charities supported by Whatever It Takes include: Adopt-A-Minefield, Anti-Slavery International, Breast Cancer Campaign, CARE, Children of the Andes, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Christian Children’s Fund, City at Peace, Comic Relief, Dreams Can Be Foundation, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greenpeace, Healthlink Worldwide, Heifer International, Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, Red Cross, LIFEbeat, LifeLine & Rape Crisis PMB, Opportunity International, Oxfam, ROTA, Rights and Humanity, S.A.F.E., Save the Children, Sharon Osborne Colon Cancer Program, Snoop Youth Football League, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Teenage Cancer Trust, The BRIT Trust, Christina Noble Children’s Foundation, Little Dreams Foundation, Lotus Outreach, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Toothfairy Foundation, Trade plus Aid, UNHCR, UNICEF, and WaterAid.

To make a bid in the auction, which runs until June 30, click here.

Williams Sisters To Play In Charity Tennis Event

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Four of the world’s top women tennis players, including 2008 Grand Slam Champions Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic, along with World No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, will face off in a one-night only single elimination event which will also celebrate tennis legend Billie Jean King and benefit two charities.

The “BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup” is scheduled for Monday, March 2, at Madison Square Garden and will be telecast live on HBO beginning at 7:30 p.m. E.T.

Limited front row VIP tickets priced at $1,000.00 and additional tickets listed at $325.00, $175.00, $125.00, $75.00, and $50.00 went on sale today and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.thegarden.com. The $1.2 million “BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup”, the featured component of the national “Tennis Night in America” promotion, is produced by StarGames in association with Madison Square Garden. The event will benefit the Dream Vaccines Foundation and Women’s Sports Foundation.

“I am honored to be part of an event that showcases Serena, Venus, Jelena, and Ana – four of the best players in women’s tennis today — in one of the most storied tennis venues in the world,” said sports icon and tennis legend Billie Jean King. “This collection of players, competing in this spectacular venue, in an event that benefits the Women’s Sports Foundation and other organizations, is the perfect mix to deliver an exciting and entertaining celebration of women’s sports and tennis.”

On the heels of last spring’s sold out Pete Sampras/Roger Federer extravaganza, women’s tennis returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 2000 when Martina Hingis defeated Monica Seles in the WTA Championships. The Garden hosted the WTA season-ending tournament every year but one between 1977 and 2000.

“Women’s tennis has a long-standing tradition at Madison Square Garden and we are excited that it will return with this premier event,” said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, MSG Sports. “Madison Square Garden aspires to host the biggest events with the brightest stars in sports and entertainment, and this evening of tennis certainly fits the bill.”

Founded in 1974 by Billie Jean King, the Women’s Sports Foundation is a national charitable educational organization dedicated to advancing the lives of girls and women through physical activity.

The Dream Vaccines Foundation is a new non-profit US-based public charity that will be focused on the development of the vaccines against HIV/AIDS and malaria. Since the viruses that are the source of HIV and Malaria are different according to each region of the world, Dream Vaccines foundation will support specific human clinical trials in different areas of the developing world. The Foundation will offer grants to researchers and will also create and finance “Dream Vaccines Foundation Chairs” for professors willing to bring their input on those vaccines.

Tickets to the event are available here.

Look To The Stars Exclusive: Live Stream Of Leeza Gibbons' Night To Make A Difference

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Look To The Stars is proud to be involved in one of Hollywood’s premier charity Oscar parties this weekend. Leeza Gibbons’ A Night To Make A Difference will take place on Sunday, February 22, at the iconic Mr Chow in Beverly Hills, with a host of celebrities expected to attend. And Look To The Stars is streaming the event LIVE.

This unique event will bring together stars from film, TV, music, sports and fashion to celebrate the worlds of celebrity and charity. Special Ambassadors of Change who have used their celebrity to make a tangible difference in the world will be on hand to empower the audience to make a difference in their own lives.

Hosted by Leeza Gibbons, Olivia Newton-John and David Foster, the Night To Make A Difference will attract stars such as Paris Hilton, Jessica Biel, Forest Whitaker, Slash, Alan Thicke, Ashley Tisdale, Brooke Burns, Cheryl Burke, Cheryl Ladd, Chevy Chase, Danny Boyle, Darryl McDaniels, Dee Wallace, Hilary Duff, Holly Robinson-Peete, Jaclyn Smith, Jane Seymour, Joey Fatone, Jordin Sparks, Ken Paves, Mario Lopez, Mel B., Melissa Gilbert, Rick Schroder, Suzanne Somers, Taraji P. Henson, Teri Hatcher, Tony Hawk and many more.

“The Night To Make a Difference party is to benefit the [”Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/402-leezas-place] and my own Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center," Olivia Newton-John told Look To The Stars. “But now it has morphed into a bigger night than just our two charities – it’s about everybody’s philanthropy and giving back. It’s a new era in America with the new Obama presidency, and it’s all about giving back, so we decided to make the night an evening about celebrity giving – like the theme of Look To The Stars.”

Other charities to be involved with the event are Jessica Biel’s Make The Difference Network, the Felix Organization, the Children’s Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition, Cancer Schmancer Movement, Blessings in a Backpack, the Red Cross, TreePeople, the Tony Hawk Foundation, the David Foster Foundation, Smiles For Life, The HollyRod Foundation and many more.

“This event is truly different from the others and one of the aspects I am most excited about is the ability for viewers at home to be a part of the experience via the live webcast,” said Leeza Gibbons. “With Arquiva and Highwinds handling the technical wizardry, we are able to focus on our message of advocacy and philanthropy. Our hope is to inspire people at home and around the world to take action and knowing that we are able to reach a broad audience on the web means we truly have a chance to help create the change presented by our on-camera Hollywood celebrities. I think it’s what happens when Hollywood stars converge with technical stars like Arquiva and Highwinds. Our combination of being behind the scenes of movie’s most glamorous night along wtih it’s most passionate and purposeful stars takes the gold for best new web idea!”

The event kicks off at 4pm in Beverly Hills with Red Carpet arrivals. For more information and tickets, visit the official Night To Make A Difference website. And be sure to visit Look To The Stars’ special live stream of the event on Oscars night.

Charles Barkley Swings For The First Tee

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley hit the greens for charity last week as he took part in the 4th Annual Barkley, Bean, Bryant & Friends Celebrity Skins Game on Friday February 6 at the YMCA Par 3 in Lakeland Florida.

Barkley is no stranger to the event and has helped raise $725,00 for The First Tee of Lakeland’s youth golf facility’s budget.

“When I did it the first time, I just did it. And I had such a good time, it’s one of the first things I put on my schedule every year,’’ Barkley said.

This year, Barkley joined Champions Tour pros Andy Bean and Brad Bryant of Lakeland, as well as Jim Dent, Mark McNulty and Gene Jones of the Champions Tour for a nine-hole skins game, where they played for $1,000 a man, with the winner writing a check to The First Tee when play finished on the ninth green.

Jim Thorpe was also scheduled to take part, but was delayed due to filming "Uneven Fairways’’ for the Golf Channel. In lieu of his absence, Thorpe donated $1,000 to The First Tee, which served almost 1,000 local youths last year.

LTTS Exclusive: The Second Annual Celebrity Soccer Challenge

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Look To The Stars reporter Delinda Lombardo attended Mia Hamm’s massive celebrity soccer game during the weekend and caught up with some of the stars that took part.

The second annual Celebrity Soccer Challenge at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles was a big success as Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra were joined by a slew of celebrity friends who helped raise nearly $200,000 for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation.

The event also encouraged fans in attendance to register for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, a cause close Mia Hamm’s heart after she lost brother Garrett to bone marrow disease.

“My foundation started about 1999 and was motivated from my relationship with my brother who passed away in 1997 after complications from a bone-marrow transplant,” she said prior to the game. “For us, we shared a love of sport and I also saw first hand what my parents and his parents had to go through, not just financially, but struggling to find a bone-marrow match, so [the proceeds from] my foundation go to help families find bone-marrow transplants and also to encourage and empower young female athletes.”

During halftime, patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases were introduced for the first time to their bone marrow donors.

“The more the world becomes a melting pot, the more important it is for people to be registered, it’s a gift that you can continue to give,” Hamm said. “My brother was adopted, he was a minority and that was one of the big struggles. Nomar [her husband] is Mexican and that’s another message we’re trying to get out there, we’re trying to get more minorities entered into the bank. Last years game we almost got 200 people and a match was found for someone who registered at the event, so it’s so important to keep spreading the importance and raising money.”

While Nomar Garciaparra earned bragging rights for scoring in overtime to give his team, Nomar United, an 8-7 win over Hamm’s team, FC Mia, he never lost sight of what the event was really about. “We’re here to have fun,” Garciaparra said, “but the biggest thing is raise money for the children’s hospital and to get people typed and registered for the bone marrow bank. To be able to save a life is priceless.”

Both celebrities and athletes took the field to help Mia’s cause – including “Desperate Housewives” actress Andrea Bowen, C. Thomas Howell, Josh Hutcherson, Mark Consuelos, Jimmy Jean-Louis of NBC’s “Heroes,” Angus Jones of CBS’s “Two and a Half Men,” “Lipstick Jungle/Las Vegas” actor James Lesure, Josh Henderson of the CW’s “90210,” Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, skateboarders Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler, and several of Hamm’s teammates from the U.S. National Team including Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Tisha Hoch and Abby Wambach. Other current and former male soccer players who participated included Cobi Jones, Chris Seitz, Matt Reis, Brian Dunseth and Alexi Lalas.

Skateboarding sensation and ‘Life of Ryan’ star Ryan Sheckler was a definite crowd pleaser as he participated in the event for the first time. “This is actually the first time I’ve ever played soccer,” he told me. “It feels great, it’s going to be a great day. Hopefully I make a goal, my goal is to make a goal today, just one and I’ll go home happy.”

Actor Mark Consuelos was also playing soccer for the first time: “I doubt I’ll score any goals. But it’s for a great cause so I’m really excited to be here.”

One of the youngest players and first time participant, actress Andrea Bowen, took a few minutes to speak with us before signing autographs for the throngs of young fans lining up to meet her. “This is my first game and I’m pretty excited that I get to play with all these people,” she said, Sharpie in hand. “They’re definitely going to have to pull extra weight because I really don’t know what I’m doing but it should be fun and its all for a really good cause.”

Tony Hawk: “This is my second time playing soccer, if you get one goal out of me you’ll be lucky.”

‘Heroes’ actor Jimmy Jean-Louis couldn’t hide his excitement for the game. “It is a beautiful day and we are going to have a great time today,” he told me prior to kick-off.

As a regular player for Los Angeles celebrity-soccer team Hollywood United, Jean-Louis is no stranger to using celebrity to raise awareness.

“I’ve been busy doing a lot of charity work. I started my own organization Hollywood Unites for Haiti, " he explained, “What I’ve been doing is collecting used (soccer) equipment and going to Haiti to give it to them because they really need this-that’s really how the whole idea of Hollywood Unites for Haiti started,” he smiled, “About a month ago some of us from Hollywood were invited to Haiti – including [”Josh Brolin":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1271-josh-brolin] and Diane Lane. That was for the opening of a hospital for handicapped, so that was nice and I plan to bring more awareness to Haiti because they really need help."

Celebrities To Play In Charity Soccer Match

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former US soccer player/World Cup champion Mia Hamm and husband Nomar Garciaparra are once again set to host their annual charity soccer match benefiting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation.

The event will be held on Saturday, January 17, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Proceeds from the event benefit bone marrow transplant patients and their families.

Celebrities expected to participate in the match include skateboarding legends Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh, NFL great Marcus Allen, actors Zachary Levi and Jimmy Jean Louis, Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo, Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, Anthony Lapaglia, Andrea Bowen, Chris Richardson, Josh Hutchenson, Misty May-Treanor, current and former members of the U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer team, and many more.

Last year’s event raised more than $150,000 for charity, and the organizers are hoping to top that this year.

“Raising money is wonderful,” said Garciaparra. “But to give somebody a chance to save a life, you can’t put a price on that. It was huge. And it speaks volumes about what we can do. We have a booth set up where people can be typed for bone marrow match, and we had 200 people register last year and we actually found an unrelated match.”

General admission tickets for the Celebrity Soccer Challenge are $20 and are on sale through Ticketmaster or directly through the Home Depot Center Box Office.

Curtis Granderson Talks Charity Basketball

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Major League Baseball player Curtis Granderson recently talked to Mlive.com about his upcoming charity basketball game.

“My off-season is different from anyone else’s,” he said in the interview. "Last year, I wanted to do a big event, but didn’t want to seem like I was copying everyone else. A lot of athletes have done bowling events. I love basketball, so I thought that may be a good fit.

“As for rounding up participants – it has been easy. They all have a passion for wanting to help out the educational system in Michigan’s inner cities. They believe in the cause. I didn’t want to just bring in names to bring in names. I wanted to bring in people who believe in what my foundation is trying to do.”

The second annual Celebrity Shootout will take place on Saturday, January 17, at Lake Orion High School north of Detroit, and will benefit the Grand Kids Foundation, a charity Granderson established to help underprivileged children in Detroit and other areas. Expected to take part in the event are former University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr, WNBA Detroit Shock forward Sheryl Ford, former Detroit Lions All-Pro players Herman Moore and Lomas Brown, former Michigan football and NFL standout Tyrone Wheatley, former Super Bowl MVP and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, UFC star “Sugar” Rashad Evans, professional boxing super-middleweight Andre Dirrell, 2008 Miss America winner Kirsten Haglund, ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson, 2007 Playboy Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood, and Project Runway’sJoe Faris.

“Right now every dollar counts,” said Granderson. "Of course we have goals, but those can be greedy. With the economy in the position it is in throughout Michigan right now, we just have to cross our fingers. It’s tough to ask people during this time to come out and pay $20 per person to watch a bunch of celebrities play basketball.

“I do want them to know, though, that my foundation has zero operating costs. We don’t pay employees or pay for celebrities to come in for this event. We have also had some groups jump in with in-kind sponsorships such as the Townsend Hotel, to help with those costs as well. Every penny on every dollar goes to this cause.”

Advance tickets for the event are available on the Grand Kids Foundation Web site at www.grandkidsfoundation.org or at www.curtisgranderson.com, and the complete interview can be read here.

Curtis Granderson Announces Charity Weekend & Celebrity Basketball Game

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Detroit Tigers outfielder Curtis Granderson and his Grand Kids Foundation will host their second annual Celebrity Shootout on Saturday, January 17, at Lake Orion High School north of Detroit.

“Now more than ever, Michigan’s public schools need assistance,” Granderson said. “The goal of this year’s event is to raise funds to help the individual students in these public schools, whether it’s for assistance with school supplies or college scholarships. Last year, I was so proud of the way the community not only came out to support this event, but to support the inner-city schools in Michigan. The players had fun, the fans had fun and the schools benefited. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better.”

‘Bigger and better’ will include a full weekend of activities, such as an evening of food and comedy the night before tip-off. Granderson will again act as coach for the basketball game, which will pair up former Detroit-area athletes with local and national celebrities.

Expected to take part are former University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr, WNBA Detroit Shock forward Sheryl Ford, former Detroit Lions All-Pro players Herman Moore and Lomas Brown, former Michigan football and NFL standout Tyrone Wheatley, former Super Bowl MVP and Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, UFC star “Sugar” Rashad Evans, professional boxing super-middleweight Andre Dirrell, 2008 Miss America winner Kirsten Haglund, ESPN anchor Dana Jacobson, 2007 Playboy Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood, Joe Faris (Project Runway) and some dunking acrobatics courtesy of And1 Mixtape Tour star “Springs.”

More athletes and personalities are expected to commit as the event nears.

“This is an amazing group of early commitments for this game — both players and coaches,” Granderson said. “We not only have a lot of great athletes, but we have a lot of great personalities, which will make this a fun atmosphere for not only those of us involved in the game, but the fans that will be coming out.”

Tickets to the game are $20 for adults and $15 for students with a student ID, including collegians. A VIP ticket for $60 includes access to the after-party. Each ticket at any level will be put into a raffle for prizes such as a private batting practice with Granderson, Tigers tickets and gift certificates to local businesses.
Tickets for the dinner and comedy show run at $75 per person, or $110 with access to the afterglow party, and must be purchased by Jan. 6.
Those who wish to attend all the events can buy an all-access pass for $150.

Advance tickets for each event at various levels are available on the Grand Kids Foundation Web site at www.grandkidsfoundation.org or at www.curtisgranderson.com

Nicole Richie Wants To Give You A Fruitcake For Christmas

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Tony Hawk, Nicole Richie and Fall Out Boy are on a mission to “re-gift” the classic fruitcake this Christmas with a new charity application on Facebook.

“The fruitcake has always been a bad gift. You never eat it or keep it. You just always end up re-gifting it,” said skateboarding legend Tony Hawk. “This year we’re changing the fruitcake and making it a symbol of giving and charity.”

Two-pound fruitcake bricks will be given away through a PayPal application on Facebook to benefit the stars’ favorite charities. Recipients will be invited via a personal video to contribute through PayPal to the charities and “re-gift” the fruitcake to friends and family all across the world.

“We’re trying out different kinds of technology and approaches to get people involved and learn about causes,” said Joel Madden. “This time, it’s a fruitcake.”

Celebrities will kick off the fruitcake’s virtual voyage starting with 10 friends each. As the fruitcakes make their way across Facebook, recipients can choose to donate to the celebrity’s cause or continue the fruitcake’s journey simply by re-gifting to friends for free. The Re-gift the Fruitcake program is presented by PayPal, which will make a $20,000 donation to each celebrity charity.

The charities that will benefit from the initiative include the Tony Hawk Foundation, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, the Yao Ming Foundation, the Richie Madden Children’s Foundation, the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation, and Invisible Children.

“By re-gifting this fruitcake you will help build more than 8,000 Classrooms and give children the education they deserve,” said Houston Rockets’ Center Yao Ming.

The initiative can be accessed through http://apps.facebook.com/regiftthefruitcake or www.regiftthefruitcake.com.

Alice Cooper Pulls Charity Plum From The Pudding

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Rocker Alice Cooper has just announced plans for this year’s “Christmas Pudding” event.

Now in its 8th year, the star-studded event has become one of the biggest celebrity charity events in recent history.

The cabaret-style variety show is scheduled for Saturday, December 13, and includes music, dance, and comedy with all proceeds to be donated to the Solid Rock Foundation, an Arizona community youth organization and Alice’s charity of choice.

Celebrity performers at previous Pudding events have included Ted Nugent, stand-up comic Sinbad and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.

This year’s lineup features Fleetwood Mac alumnus Bob Welch, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, F5, Runaway Phoenix, Les Stroud, and Whisky Falls, and Iron Chef winner Mark Tarbell will serve up holiday treats for all attendees.

Adding to the excitement? This year Alice and the band will be performing their greatest hits.

General admission tickets start at $33, with holders of VIP passes (starting at $203) granted access to a pre-show dinner and reception hosted by Alice himself.

For more info, go to www.alicepudding.com.

Tony Hawk Raises $1 Million For Skateparks

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pro skateboarder Tony Hawk raised over $1 million for charity on Sunday, November 9, at the 5th annual Acitivision Presents Stand Up for Skateparks event in Beverly Hills.

But Hawk wasn’t alone in his effort – he was joined by a number of his celebrity friends, including Shaun White, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis, David Spade, Perry Ferrell, Chris "Big Black" Boykin, Kathy Ireland, Bam Margera and BMX legend Mat Hoffman, as well as event benefit committee members Jamie Lee Curtis and Mia Hamm. The one-day action-sports extravaganza included games, activities, a special acoustic performance by Social Distortion, and a Vert Demo on Hawk’s personal ramp.

Money from the event will go to the Tony Hawk Foundation and its mission to bring free, quality skateparks to low-income communities across the United States.

Stand Up For Skateparks With Tony Hawk

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk has come a long way since he first landed the ‘900’- a spine-tingling stunt that he nailed during the 1999 X Games. Since then, the man has become an empire unto himself – he’s got everything from an autobiography, a clothing line, a skateboard company, a film company, and even a roller coaster named after him.

But Hawk never lost sight of what’s important and, in 2002, he established the Tony Hawk Foundation to assist low-income communities create well-designed skateboard parks. In four years, the Foundation gave away over a million dollars in grants and assistance.

Aside from being one of the founding members of Athletes For Hope, Hawk has some pretty impressive charity work under his belt. So we shouldn’t be surprised that he – along with Lance Armstrong, Rob Dyrdek, Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mia Hamm, Dana White, Jr., Jon Favreau, Mat Hoffman, Shaun White, Robert Kotick, Bob McKnight, Scott Greenstein, and Ron Burkle – has issued an invitation to the 5th Annual Tony Hawk’s Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit.

Join Tony Hawk and his celebrity friends as they raise money for his foundation via silent/live auctions set among live music, interactive games and a vert skateboard and BMX demo.

The Tony Hawk’s Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit for the Tony Hawk Foundation will be held Sunday, November 9, 2008, from 12 – 4 PM at Green Acres in Beverly Hills, California.

More info can be found at the Tony Hawk Foundation website.

Michael Phelps: Fourteen Medals and a Heart of Gold

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Fourteen-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps has announced that he is founding his own charity, the Michael Phelps Foundation.

The swimmer has earmarked the well-publicized $1 million bonus he is to receive from Speedo for winning eight gold medals in Beijing, and an additional $200,000 has been donated to Phelps’ foundation by Warnaco and Speedo International in honor of his record-setting wins.

Phelp’s first step as his charity’s ambassador is an eight-city tour across the United States, during which he will visit children and share his experiences of Beijing.

The tour will launch an education program, Dream, Plan, Reach, inspired by principles Michael learned as a child.

Dream, Plan, Reach teaches planning, goal-setting and responsibility, offering children a base that can support them beyond the swimming pool, and encourage them to live healthy, active lives.

“Thanks to a lot of hard work, some good fortune, the inspiration I drew from so many supporters around the world, and incredible teammates, I was able to achieve that dream by winning eight Gold Medals in Beijing,” said Phelps. “Now, my goals reach beyond the pool, to helping others realize their dreams, and continuing to grow the sport I love so much. I feel it’s only appropriate that I continue the momentum that Speedo helped to create, by committing my bonus to the establishment of the Michael Phelps Foundation, which I hope will help me inspire others to achieve their dreams, and give back to the sport that has given me so much.”

Denzel Donates to Save School Sports

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Jennifer Beckmann

Actor Denzel Washington gave a generous gift – accompanied by a strong message – to save a New York school district’s sports program.

Denzel Washington has donated $100,000 to help save the Mount Vernon school district’s sports programs. The budget for three seasons of sports was slashed by the district and the city is now trying to raise funds privately to keep the program intact. While Washington is “really upset” by the budget cuts, his donation has helped Save Our Sports, the city’s fundraising effort, raise $329,000 towards the fall sports season.

While fall sports have been saved, the city requires an additional $630,000 to save the winter and spring seasons. Washington, a Mount Vernon native, expressed disappointment in the school system. “I don’t know how we got here. Why wasn’t this looked at a year ago?” He questioned. “You don’t plan to fail, you fail to plan.”

Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young and district spokeswoman Desiree Grand are focusing on fundraising efforts and moving forward. The district has received additional support from the proceeds of a National Basketball Association youth event and other private donations.

“Yes, the debate goes on about how we got here,” Young said. “But we are in this position, and we need to move forward.”

Interview: Phil Keoghan Talks To Look To The Stars

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

At the age of 19, Phil Keoghan nearly drowned during a dive to a shipwreck. The near miss inspired him to reevaluate his life, and he is now one of the best known reality TV presenters in the world.

Although millions of people know Keoghan as the host of the Emmy Award-winning hit The Amazing Race and CBC’s No Opportunity Wasted, millions more have been inspired by his philosophy of living life to the full. After surviving his diving accident, Keoghan set himself a “wish list” of all the things he wanted to do before he died – he checked off the first item straight away by returning to the shipwreck on the very same day of the mishap. From renewing his marriage vows underwater to changing a lightbulb on top of New York’s 700-foot Verrazanno Bridge to setting world records for group bungee jumping, Phil Keoghan is well on his way to checking off every item on his list.

But the 41-year-old also uses his experiences to inspire others to lead the lives they want to lead, to achieve the things they have always hankered for but “never had time for”. He uses his No Opportunity Wasted (NOW) philosophy to cut through the excuses and get people motivated. He urges that everyone should write their own “wish list” and forget about the excuses – we only have one life, and we should live it NOW. “The more I live, the more I want to live, and the more I want to help others live their once-in-a-lifetime dreams,” he told Oprah in 2001.

Look To The Stars was lucky enough to catch up with Phil recently and ask him about his thoughts on making the world a better place.

You sponsor a cycling team in LA that rides to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. What led you to support TeamVRC and the issue of MS?

I actually bought my wife a cycling program and her coach happened to be one of the founding members of VRC, Eddie Monnier. As we got to know more about the team we loved their mission statement of bringing awareness to MS as well as helping under 23 [year-old] riders, and when an opportunity came up to be the title sponsor we decided that NOW (No Opportunity Wasted) was the perfect fit. The NOW MS team is one of the biggest fundraisers for the annual MS ride. The MS Society is extremely well organized and we always have a great turn out.

What other charities and causes do you support?

I am constantly getting requests for donations for all kinds of charities from all over the world. It would impossible to support all of them. As a professional speaker I have provided my services and spoken to a number of educational groups and institutions. I believe sharing the NOW philosophy is the best way for me to give something back.

What would you say to someone who wants to help a cause but doesn’t know where to start?

Look for something that has personal meaning. Focus your energy in one direction.

How could a charity attract your support?

It’s tough for me to commit to every request. I would find a celebrity who has a personal connection to your charity. Perhaps they are from the same state, went to the same school, have a family member who is fighting a particular medical challenge. Connect the dots.

Why do you think it is important to reach out and help others?

We will all need help at some point in our life, in the end it truly is more rewarding to give than take.

If you could start a charity, what would it be?

I feel we have our own charity in NOW. We just financed two international riders to join the NOW MS team in US and sharing the message of NOW is our way of giving back.

What do you think are the biggest problems facing the world today, and how can one person make a difference to solve them?

The biggest issue we face is that we continue to take the world’s resources without giving enough back in return. It’s a little like having a credit card and spending at large without thinking about how to your going to pay the bill. The solution will come from finding financial solutions to our environmental challenges. Right now many of those answers are locked away in the minds of young people. I have faith that we will find a way to create change.

Can you give our readers a final message on how they can make the world a better place?

Identify your passion. Write your own NOW Life List – a list of the things you want to do before you die. It’s only by bringing your real passion to something that you can be your best. It doesn’t matter whether that is through art, music, charity work, inventing … we have all been put on this earth with a purpose. The Life List will help you identify yours.

Look To The Stars would like to thank Phil Keoghan for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to us. To find out more about writing your own NOW Life List, visit www.noopportunitywasted.com.

Stars Keep In Time For Charity

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A new series of designer watches featuring memorabilia from rock stars and celebrities is raising money for charity.

California-based Nixon Watches has launched their 2008 LTD collection of watches which incorporates guitar frets, concert ticket stubs, and other items into quality timepieces. The brainchild of No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont, the collection features watches designed by musicians such as Ringo Starr, Nikki Sixx, members of Fall Out Boy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Angels and Airwaves, and screen stars Jack Black and Joy Bryant. Proceeds from the watches will benefit the Tony Hawk Foundation, a children’s aid charity that seeks to foster lasting improvements in society, and the MusiCares MAP Fund to help musicians recovering from addiction.

According to the Nixon website, the collection ranges in price from $350 to $1,500, and is available from Barneys New York in Beverly Hills.

Soccer's Brightest Aim For $90 Million

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Some of the biggest names in football from around the world came together on Saturday to raise funds for charity ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

AC Milan’s Kaka, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, and Germany’s Michael Ballack were just some of the names who played in the match held in the German city of Munich on July 12 to raise money for Goal4Africa, a foundation inspired by Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday that aims to raise money for the educational needs of children in Africa. The organization hopes to raise $90 million dollars at a series of exhibition matches over the next two years by having fans pledge donations online or through texts each time any players from their favorite teams score until 2010.

Saturday’s match – organized by former Dutch international Clarence Seedorf – demonstrated the fun and good spirits of the concept, with Ballack’s World Team Two defeating Seedorf’s World Team One 9-6.

Usher Honored In The Mississippi

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

R&B star Usher hit the South Mississippi coast last week to raise money for his New Look Foundation.

The 29-year-old singer was star guest at the Club Tiki at Beau Rivage, and was honored for his work with New Look and his commitment to provide housing for about 80 Beau Rivage employees whose homes were destroyed or nearly destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Members of the public each paid a donation of $10 to attend the ceremony and listen to the star’s speech.

During the evening, the five-time Grammy winner talked about his desire to make a contribution those less fortunate. He hopes to become known as someone who did everything he could to help others in need.

Usher’s New Look Foundation is largely dedicated to improving health, mental health and housing for families affected by Hurricane Katrina. It is also committed to helping young people enter the business side of the sports and entertainment industries, and provides a two-week summer camp for children aged 12-17 where they can explore the industries while learning about and strengthening their skills.

“Service, volunteerism and civic action are integrated into all our programs, and we’re committed to being a voice and a force to aid in the resettling of evacuees and the mobilization to help rebuild communities fractured by hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” said Usher. “It’s about making something happen that’s good, right and needed.”

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