Look To The Stars News: Melinda Doolittle

Ryan Seacrest To Host Ronald McDonald House Event

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities (ARMHC) announces its Hearts and Hands Gala at 7pm on Saturday, October 24, at the World of Coca-Cola.

Atlanta`s own Ryan Seacrest of “American Idol” will serve as host of the sold out black-tie dinner which will feature a special performance by “American Idol” season six finalist Melinda Doolittle and a silent auction. The Coca-Cola Company is the event`s presenting sponsor. The Event Chair is Javier Goizueta, Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company and President of the McDonald`s Division Worldwide. Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company is Honorary Chair.

“The Ronald McDonald House is a cause that is very dear to the hearts of us at The Coca-Cola Company. We are committed to supporting the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities, as we strive to help improve the health and well-being of children and families in need,” says Javier Goizueta.

Proceeds from the Hearts and Hands Gala will support operations of Atlanta`s two Ronald McDonald Houses.

“We are grateful for the generosity and ongoing support of The Coca-Cola Company. And we are thrilled Coca-Cola`s longtime ambassador, Ryan Seacrest, will host the evening. Despite a tough economy, we expect this inaugural event will be successful in raising funds to support families in need at our two local Ronald McDonald Houses. This year marks our 30th anniversary and this new event is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness for Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities and the organization’s important work throughout the area,” says Linda M. Morris, President/CEO of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Increased demand led to the recent expansion of the local Ronald McDonald House programs. Last year, Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities opened a new state-of-the-art 50-bedroom $15.7 million Ronald McDonald House near Emory University and Children`s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston to meet the growing need. An 11-bedroom Ronald McDonald House on Peachtree Dunwoody Road continues to operate at full capacity to serve families of children receiving medical treatment at Children`s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite. Combined, the two local Houses serve more than 2,000 families a year.

Vince Gill To Host Charity Concert

Thu, 21 May 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Vince Gill will join his wife Amy Grant in hosting a concert to launch a new national initiative to support and connect existing programs for disabled veterans.

Challenge America’s mission is to support the development of recreational and occupational programs in willing communities to link new and existing services to better serve returning injured military and their families.

“It’s going to be a very relaxed, comfortable evening,” Gill told People.com. “We’re going to sit in a semi-circle and go around the circle taking turns doing songs. It’ll feel like sitting in a living room. You don’t have any idea where the evening is going to go.”

Performers will include Melinda Doolittle, Alison Krauss, Michael McDonald, Darius Rucker and many more.

“There will be lots of music and laughter,” said Grant. “The evening will bond us together and make us feel what I feel every time I’m in Washington. We are still what George Washington proclaimed us to be: we are the great experiment. We are constantly inventing who we are, and the world is watching. We’ve got to reinvent how we care for our soldiers because they are coming back with lives that need to be led in very vital ways.”

“I’m excited about getting to share what we believe in so deeply,” added Gill. “We want to make an impact on the individuals that have given to us in unimaginable ways. Challenge America 2009 is our way of honoring the men and women who truly are heroes.”

To find out more about the event – which takes place at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC on June 8 – or to purchase tickets, visit the official Challenge America website.

Elephants Never Forget Celebrity Auctions

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

They say an elephant never forgets… and this new celebrity charity auction will give you something to remember forever.

A host of celebrities have donated signed photos and memorabilia to the Alzheimer’s Association’s Elephant Project Auction. Stars such as Pink, Julie Andrews, Jennifer Garner, Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Sarah Silverman, Shirley MacLaine, John Lithgow, Melinda Doolittle, William H. Macy, Jason Biggs, Jimmy Kimmel and many more have put their signatures on special photo cards for the auction, and all proceeds go to this great cause.

Created in 2006 by 18-year old David Niederhoffer after his grandfather passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, the Elephant Project aims to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Association, and to get teenagers more active in community service.

“There is a phrase that says ‘Elephants never forget’,” said Niederhoffer. “Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia… As I live relatively close to New York City, I wait outside of Broadway theaters and other events to meet each celebrity. After explaining to them what I am doing, I ask each celebrity to sign a business card that was custom made for this project. I also ask the celebrities to pose with either Trumpet the Elephant beanie baby or Peanut the Elephant beanie baby. All the pictures are printed out and auctioned off with the signed card. After I obtain a significant amount of signed cards/pictures, they are auctioned off on eBay. Each auction package also comes with an elephant beanie baby!”

The auctions end on March 15, and can be accessed here.

More info about the Elephant Project can be found at David Niederhoffer’s website.

Legend, Doolittle Honor Sachs and Soros

Mon, 19 May 2008 10:56:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

The Millennium Promise and Malaria No More Annual Benefit took place last week at The Tent at Lincoln Center, raising over $2 million for the fight against extreme poverty and disease. The event honored the charities’ founders, Raymond G. Chambers, Peter Chernin, Professor Jeffrey Sachs and George Soros.

Grammy-winner John Legend presented an award to Jeffrey Sachs. Sachs’ book, The End Of Poverty was a catalyst in Legend’s forming of the Show Me Campaign. American Idol’s Melinda Doolittle presented an award to Peter Chernin, and performed “Amazing Grace” as part of the evening’s entertainment. Ann Veneman, the Executive Director of UNICEF, and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of the World Bank, presented awards to Ray Chambers and George Soros, respectively.

Millennium Promise is on a mission to end extreme poverty by 2025. They have begun by taking steps to achieve the eight globally-endorsed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa by 2015.

Malaria No More is actively taking steps to end deaths due to malaria, by providing bed nets and raising awareness about this disease, which kills 3,000 children every day.

For more information on how you can get involved, visit the Millennium Promise and Malaria No More websites.

Country Singers Promote Dream Home Raffle

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:35:23 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singers Vince Gill and Amy Grant appeared onstage at a show late last week to raise awareness of the June raffle of the 2008 St Jude Dream Home – a 3,871-square-foot house valued at $650,000.

The show, held in Franklin, Tennessee, also featured performances by the Wooten Brothers and American Idol finalists Melinda Doolittle and Phil Stacey. Over 800 people attended the event, many purchasing tickets for the Dream Home raffle.

The Tennessee Dream Home is one of 34 Dream Homes across America, and organizers of the raffle hope to raise $1.6 million in what has become an annual event. All proceeds from the raffle will go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centres.

“We’re hoping for a very strong kickoff for the raffle ticket sales,” said Grant. “Some people are already passionate about St. Jude and I feel like this a no-brainer. This is exciting — someone is going to win that house.”

Tickets for the raffle cost $100, and there is a range of exciting prizes up for offer. Tickets are available through www.stjudedreamhome.org, and the homes will be raffled live on WZTV Fox 17 on June 22.

“I like the community spirit of this,” said Gill. “There are so many ways people find to give and to help out. And when you talk about a great project to give to, with St. Jude, you’re reaching out to kids and sick kids. And it just doesn’t get any more godly or kindly. It’s the best.”

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