Look To The Stars News: Toby Keith

Toby Keith Tears Down The Walls For Sick Kids

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Country star Toby Keith took on a role of a different kind this week – charity handyman!

The 47-year-old singer was on hand at Ally’s House oncology unit to begin renovations of the cancer ward by knocking out walls.

“Have you all ever tore up a wall before?” Keith asked some of the patients who were able to help. "We’ll learn how.”

The country singer then proceeded to smash down walls with a sledgehammer.

The demolition is part of the unit’s $500,000 renovation to make way for a new playroom, family resource room, and palliative care area.

“You’ve got to generate a lot of revenue to pull something like this off,” Keith told The Oklahoman. “Every year we get bigger and stronger and raise more money, so we’re getting close now, after 5 years, to creating what we wanted to create. But this is the first step.”

Ally’s House was established to help Oklahoma kids with cancer and their families and was named after the daughter of one of Toby Keith’s band members, who died of kidney cancer at the age of two in 2003. Since then, the singer has held an annual charity golf tournament that has raised over $2.3 million for the charity.

“I see these kids all the time, they’re all God’s little gifts to the world,” he said. “It makes it all worth it.”

Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special For Charity

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Stephen Colbert will host his own holiday special this Sunday, November 23, with the show being released as a charity DVD next week.

“A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All” is an hour-long tongue-in-cheek extravaganza with the Colbert Report host belting out Christmas hits from Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, and even David Bowie.

“This is just some good fun to watch during your eggnog-induced dementia,” Colbert joked.

During the show, Colbert will be joined by Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Jon Stewart, John Legend, and Elvis Costello to sing Christmas songs penned by “Daily Show” executive producer David Javerbaum and composed by Adam Schlesinger.

“I had a clear, clear command to everyone involved: ‘No cynicism,’” said Colbert. “We’re not mocking Christmas specials. We’re doing MY Christmas special. And that was the aesthetic we tried to bring into it. Like, we’re really doing this. I want people to see this every year.”

Costume pieces from the special will be auctioned to benefit Feeding America, and a percentage of the DVD proceeds – to be released on Tuesday, November 25 – will also go to the charity.

The auction can be accessed via the Colbert Nation MySpace page, and the show will go to air on Sunday at 10 p.m. EST on Comedy Central.

Jonas Brothers To Launch the 2008 Red Kettle Campaign

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

On November 27th, the Jonas Brothers will become the latest in the long line of artists to kick off The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Christmas Campaign.

The band is excited to perform at halftime during the Dallas Cowboys’ nationally televised Thanksgiving Day game against the Seattle Seahawks, with Nick Jonas saying, “I was born in Dallas, which makes performing with my brothers at the Cowboys’ halftime on Thanksgiving an incredible honor.”

“This year, more than ever, the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign will make a huge impact for families at Christmas and throughout the year. It’s very important for us to give back,” Joe Jonas added.

The campaign has raised more than $1 billion since its partnership with the football team began back in 1997. Funds raised help the Salvation Army serve 30 million people each year nationwide, with last year’s campaign raising a record $118 million.

Previous artists to perform include Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Jessica Simpson, Randy Travis and Reba McEntire.

Toby Keith Raises Cash For Ally's House

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:34:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The annual Toby Keith & Friends Celebrity Golf Classic in Oklahoma last week set a new record by raising $709,000 for Ally’s House, a nonprofit organization that helps families dealing with childhood cancer.

Since establishing the golf tournament five years ago, country music sensation Toby Keith has raised more than $2.3 million for the charity – named after the daughter of one of Keith’s band who died from kidney cancer – and this year was no different, with more than 750 people attending the weekend of sport, music and a celebrity auction.

Auction items were donated by stars such as George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn, Tom Hanks, Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, LeBron James, Andre Agassi, Tony Stewart, and Peyton Manning, although it was the chance to dine with Toby Keith himself that raised the most cash – a huge $35,000.

“I knew we could make a difference with Ally’s House, but it really is even bigger than I’d hoped,” said Keith. “We’ve helped a ton of families, and we’re proud that we have never had to turn away an Oklahoma family that needs help.”

Celebrity Auctions For Christmas

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:34:25 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

As the clock counts down to Christmas, celebrities have been keeping busy and warm by signing as many different items as humanly possible and donating them to a plethora of auctions. The holiday season may be at fever pitch now, but there is certainly a wide range of gift ideas to ease the stress of last minute shopping.

The VH1 Holiday Auction is currently being held at www.vh1auctions.com, and includes a long list of memorabilia from the music industry. All proceeds from the auction will go to the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, an initiative dedicated to restoring music programs in schools across the US.

Items up for grabs include a harmonica signed by Alice Cooper (which has already attracted bids of $250), signed photos of Aerosmith and Chris Cornell ($300), and a guitar personally autographed by Ryan Adams ($1500). Signed clothing is also big on the agenda, with a jacket from Snoop Dogg, a vest from Iggy Pop, and sneakers from Amy Winehouse.

Signed guitars are also available as part of the Private Sessions Charity Auction, with all proceeds to benefit the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation. Avril Lavigne, the Goo Goo Dolls, Meat Loaf, the Barenaked Ladies, and Toby Keith are among the stars to sign both an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar for the auction, which also includes movie clapper boards autographed by Queen Latifah, Michael Douglas, and Anthony Hopkins.

But if these items whet your appetite, you have to be quick. The auction ends on December 12.

For those people celebrating Christmas in Australia this year, the Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia is auctioning Christmas decorations signed by various celebrities. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, The Rock, Delta Goodrem, Missy Higgins, and rugby league stars Matthew Johns and Benji Marshall have all put their names on baubles to raise money for sick children in the country.

An auction is also being held by Russell Simmons’ Diamond Empowerment Fund, to raise money for education programs in African countries where diamonds are a natural resource. A variety of fine diamond pieces are up for sale at www.ebay.com/diamondsgive, including an exquisite diamond-encrusted Ohm watch from the Simmons Jewelry Company. The opportunity to take part in exclusive photo shoots with celebrities such as Petra Nemcova, Naomi Campbell, LL Cool J, and Cedric The Entertainer are also up for grabs in the auction.

Actress and environmental activist Daryl Hannah is also doing her bit to ease the shopping blues this year, and has launched a brand new online store. www.dhlovelife.com offers goods picked with serious consideration of their environmental, social, and animal welfare impact. And if special holiday items such as an organic peace wreath and 100% recycled cards do not excite you, the store also offers compost buckets, surfboards and guitars made from hemp, bamboo snowboards, organic dog treats, and even a solar powered boat. The actress will also sell her personal bio diesel car and home fueling system on the site on December 20.

And finally a little news from the recent Lightspeed Fine Art Celebrity Charity Auction, held in Lake Forest, California, on the weekend of December 1 and 2. Lightspeed specializes in artworks relating to science fiction, and their eighth annual auction attracted guests from shows such as Stargate, Voyager, and Battlestar Galactica.

A surprise guest at the auction was Leonard Nimoy, better known as Mr Spock from Star Trek. Nimoy, who is reputed to have a huge personal collection of Star Trek memorabilia, donated several items to the auction signed by himself and William Shatner, including a plaque awarded from NASA for “inspiring a generation of scientists and explorers”.

Nimoy’s contributions made over $14,000 of the total $40,000 raised during the auction, with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society and the Nimoy Foundation, an initiative that gives grants to artists-in-residence programs in museums and galleries around the US.

In the words of Mr Spock – “live long and prosper”.

Brooks Goes Pink For Breast Cancer

Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:29:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The fastest selling solo artist in music history, Garth Brooks, is to release two versions of his latest album, one dedicated exclusively to charity.

The Pink Edition of “Garth Brooks – The Ultimate Hits” will be released on November 6, and will only be available through Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s online Promise Shop. The CD packages will be priced at $15, with $10 going to Komen, whose mission is to find a cure for breast cancer.

The three-disc set includes 30 classics, plus 3 new songs, as well as a bonus track. It also features a DVD that contains 33 videos, including new and never-before-seen footage. The Pink Edition packages will also contain information on breast health and breast cancer, and an instructional card on breast self-examination.

“Through the release of this very special, and very pink, edition of The Ultimate Hits, Garth Brooks is actively joining Susan G. Komen for the Cure in our promise to end breast cancer forever,” said Hala Moddelmog, cancer survivor and President and Chief Executive of the non-profit organization. “We’re excited about the potential of this relationship, and we’re grateful that Garth is featuring important breast health and breast cancer information from Komen with the album. Through this example of his artistry and generosity, Garth is giving Komen a unique opportunity to raise significant dollars and reach millions of people, ultimately helping us to save lives.”

Brooks said he was inspired to donate the proceeds to charity after watching his wife train for and take part in Breast Cancer 3-Day, an event that challenged people to walk 60 miles over three days, with pledges and donations going to Komen and the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund.

“It was a heck of a lot easier than me trying to walk 60 miles,” joked Brooks.

A host of other celebrities have also been raising money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in October.

Kelly Clarkson, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Toby Keith have joined with the casts of Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers And Sisters, and The Young And The Restless to sign and decorate limited edition, 1/18th scale models of Ford’s newest car, the 2008 Mustang.

The models were auctioned off on eBay, with Clarkson’s selling for over $2,660, as part of Ford’s Warriors in Pink campaign. Since it was launched in 2006, Ford’s Warriors In Pink has raised more than $90 million for breast cancer causes, recognizing the strength and courage it takes to deal with the challenges of the disease.

Warriors In Pink also has a range of apparel for men and women available that feature important symbols of hope, strength, and unity. The designs are added to every year, and $1.1 million was raised in 2006 for the cause from the sale of the clothing.

To celebrate Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s 25th Anniversary, Ford has also announced they will be giving $250 from the public sale of each new 2008 Ford Mustang to the charity.

More information about the auction, which also features models signed and decorated by Rachael Ray and Richard Simmons, can be found at www.fordcares.com. The new Garth Brooks – The Ultimate Hits Pink Edition CD is available exclusively through www.komen.org/garth, and other items for sale to benefit the breast cancer cause can be viewed at www.ebay.com/breastcancer.

Look To The Stars News: Toby Keith

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