Look To The Stars News: Dennis Quaid

Stars Team Up To Fight Alzheimer's

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:30:00 -0000

In an amazing display of dedication and support, hundreds of celebrities, businesspersons, sports figures, and entertainment-industry leaders came together for “A Night at Sardi’s,” the annual star-studded benefit for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Held at the Beverly Hilton, the much-anticipated March 4 event raised nearly $1 million for Alzheimer’s care and research. In 17 years, A Night at Sardi’s has raised nearly $18 million for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

Comedian and author Chelsea Handler hosted the evening, which, in addition to cocktails and dinner, included red carpet arrivals, awards presentations and a research update. It culminated in a concert version of the musical “Damn Yankees” performed by some of the industry’s most recognizable talents, including Kristen Bell, Sean Hayes, Melina Kanakaredes, Katey Sagal, Victor Garber, Peter Gallagher, Kathryn Gallagher, Ken Howard, Sharon Lawrence, Vicki Lewis, Ron Fassler and Larry Raben.

Actor JK Simmons led cast members from CBS’s “Big Bang Theory” in a rousing rendition of the show’s finale, “You’ve Gotta Have Heart.”

FOX Sports received the Advocacy Award for its public service campaign and support of the Alzheimer’s Association. Sportscaster and former NFL Star Charles Davis presented the award to David Hill, Chairman & CEO of FOX Sports Television Group, Ed Goren, President of FOX Sports and Bill Wanger, SVP of Programming & Research, FOX Sports.

Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden and fellow cast members of “Friday Night Lights” presented the gala’s Abe Burrows Entertainment Award to the show’s executive producer Jason Katims. The NBC drama was honored for depicting the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on its characters. The award is named for the late playwright and director, who died of Alzheimer’s.

Swoosie Kurtz presented Caregiver of the Year honors to Serge Morales of Agoura Hills, whose wife, Susan Franklin Morales, was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s two years ago at age 55.

Many other entertainment luminaries came to support the cause and raise awareness, including Bradley Cooper, Dennis Quaid, Molly Sims, Billy Crystal, Soleil Moon Frye, Rachel York, Ron Rifkin, Gina Philips, Shelley Fabares and Mike Farrell.

Event co-chairs were Laurie Burrows Grad and Peter Grad. Ms. Grad created this event to honor her father, the late playwright/director Abe Burrows.

This gala is important because it raises funds for Alzheimer’s disease care and research. More than 5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer’s and that number is expected to grow as the population ages and the Baby Boom generation turns age 65. The Alzheimer’s Association is the global leader in Alzheimer care, support and research.

Star Trek Fans: Beam Me Up For Charity Auction

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Alzheimer’s Association is currently auctioning off some very cool celebrity encounters.

Going under the hammer at Charity Folks right now are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities such as the chance to join Greg Kinnear or Dennis Quaid at the Bel Air Country Club for a round of golf, tickets to the LA premiere and after party of the new Star Trek movie starring Eric Bana, a guitar signed by the Jonas Brothers, and the chance to meet Mandy Moore backstage at one of her concerts.

The Alzheimer’s Association aims to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, as well as to provide and enhance care and support for all affected and reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

These are great items for a great cause, but you had better be quick because the auction ends very soon.

Click here to go straight to the bidding.

Joe Pesci Joins Charity Golf Tournament

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:45:35 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actor Joe Pesci and former NFL players Sterling Sharpe and Kordell Stewart have joined the line-up of celebrities for the 2008 BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament on May 15, while actors Samuel L. Jackson, David James Elliott, Kevin Sorbo, and Lucas Black have withdrawn.

“We are very excited to have Joe Pesci and Kordell Stewart joining the field for the first time and to have Sterling Sharpe return," said Darin MacDonald, tournament director of the BMW Charity Pro-Am. "It is unfortunate to hear about Samuel L. Jackson, David James Elliott, Kevin Sorbo and Lucas Black, but we understand. They had committed to play, but apparently the shooting schedules of their new movies have changed. We understand that their work takes precedence, and we wish them all well with these productions.”

The celebrities now scheduled to compete in this year’s BMW Charity Pro-Am golf tournament are Joe Pesci, Dennis Quaid, Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear, Kurt Russell, Catherine Bell, Wayne Gretzky, Janet Jones-Gretzky, Ty Gretzky, Dave Coulier, Stefanie Schaeffer, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Michael Pena, Sterling Sharpe, Kordell Stewart, Jason Dohring, Josh Kelley, Cheech Marin, Javier Colon, Steve Azar, Gary Valentine, Mark Rypien, Branford Marsalis, Pat Green, George Rogers, Ben Wright, and Jennifer Mills. Winnings from the tournament will go to the winner’s charity of choice.

Fore!! Celebrities Hit The Green For Charity

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:19:05 -0000

Written by Richard Alan Krieger

BMW’s Golf Charity Event will be televised live on the Golf Channel from the Bright’s Creek Golf Club, N.C., on May 15-18, 2008. It will be the only U.S. Nationwide golf tournament where amateurs, celebrities, and pros gather together for charity.

The professional winner of the overall 72 hole event will take home $117,000 from the total purse of $650,000, which is one of the largest purses on the Nationwide Tour. Amateurs and celebrities will compete for individual prizes and cash donations to the charity of their choice out of the beneficiaries selected by South Carolina Charities. The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, and the Spartanburg Community College will also benefit from this event.

The first seven tournaments have raised more than $5.7 million for 80+ area charities.

The celebrities playing include Samuel L. Jackson, Dennis Quaid, Luke Wilson, Greg Kinnear, Kurt Russell, Wayne Gretzky, Catherine Bell, David James Elliott, Janet Jones, Dave Coulier, Stefanie Schaeffer, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Michael Pena, Jason Dohring, Kevin Sorbo, Josh Kelley, Cheech Marin, Javier Colon, Lucas Black, Steve Azar, Gary Valentine, Mark Rypien, Branford Marsalis, Pat Green, George Rogers, Ben Wright, and Jennifer Mills. Those with the 14 lowest scores from Thursday-Friday-Saturday will advance to Sunday’s final round.

Look To The Stars Asks The Neelys

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:04:14 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

Besides serving up delicious ribs, Get Yo’ Man Chicken, and strawberry shortcut cake, the Food Network’s latest stars Pat and Gina Neely have a long-standing tradition of serving the community.

Down Home with the Neely’s drew an audience of two million viewers at its launch in February, and the dynamic husband and wife team of Pat and Gina Neely has broken all sorts of Food Network records since then. Yet they still manage to find the time to run their three restaurants, where their famous diners have included Robert Plant, Robert Clay, Steve Miller, Jay Leno, Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, John Legend, Stacy Spencer, and Alicia Keys.

Despite the soaring ratings, the pair have remained grounded and interested in making a difference.

Look To The Stars recently had a chance to catch up with the Neelys and share recipes on how to make the world a better place.

How important is it to give back to the community?

GINA: I’m not sure people understand the importance of giving back. It is important for us to give back. When you give, your blessings are unbelievable. You can’t put a price tag on it. Pat and I have always given. I remember how instrumental it was when I was growing up and people stepped up and helped us, so it is so important for us to give that back.

PAT: What people have to understand is that Gina and I come from very humble beginnings. We didn’t have a whole lot. My mother’s home was in foreclosure when I was a senior in high school. I lost my father when I was eleven… there was never enough money. Gina and I have pretty similar backgrounds. When I opened my first restaurant, I had twenty thousand dollars that was borrowed from my grandmother’s home, that she put up for collateral – and she was 90 years of age. That was all I had first day I opened the doors. I was dead broke… One of the things I remembered early was when I start making some money and when things start turning around for me that I am going help somebody. One of the best feelings in the world is to be able to give… Gina and I give away 30 home tickets away every single home ball game for years now. Since we’ve been involved with the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team, nothing is more rewarding than when my mail comes in and there is a big brown envelope with 30 letters from 30 kids’ middle and elementary schools thanking us for being able to go to the game. Letters say, “Mr. Neely, without you I would not have been able to go to an NBA game.”

Do you find yourselves feeding people such as the homeless?

PAT: I know several years ago, along with some other good people who decided to participate, we opened up on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving Day.

GINA: Thanksgiving.

PAT: And then we invited everyone off the streets to come in and eat free. I don’t know how many… [maybe] 1500. These were people off the street that were homeless. But there are so many other things; what you try to do is really spread it around. I give what I can give. One of our proudest moments is that there is a huge plaque on the wall at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, where Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. A couple of years ago Gina and I were approached to give to a substantial donation to the museum while at a dinner. I told Gina we can’t afford it… I get back to the restaurant – I have some high school kids working for me so I am all in the civil rights mood – and I ask the kids, “Who is Rosa Parks?” You know they did not know.

GINA: They said, “Is that a rapper?” Can you believe that?

PAT: Gina and I get back in the car, and I am like, “What the hell is going on?” It was only a generation or so a go that these people fought us… If it was not for Rosa Parks, or Dr King, I may not be running my own business. So I looked over at Gina and said that we have to make this contribution. Fortunately, the Civil Rights Museum put us on a payment plan… To make a long story short, it was I along with twenty other African-American businesses that made that contribution. The money was matched by corporate Memphis. Together we were able to raise 9 million dollars, and that is where the expansion took place at the National Civil Rights Museum… I feel very proud that our grandchildren will one day see their grandmother and grandaddy’s plaque on the wall.

Thanks so much for taking the time out to talk with us.

More information about Down Home With The Neelys can be found at their Food Network website.

London and Austin host GuitarTown for charity

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 07:12:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Sir Paul McCartney is among a group of celebrities who have donated giant guitars to exhibitions in both America and England, to be auctioned off over the next few months.

The exhibitions are part of the Gibson GuitarTown Galas And Auctions being held in London and Austin, and feature both 10-foot-high and regular-sized guitars designed and signed by artists and musicians. The sculptures have been on show in the cities for 10 weeks, and will soon be removed in preparation for the auctions, which will benefit a variety of local charities.

“I just fancied playing a big guitar!” joked Sir Paul, who signed a sculpture designed by cartoonist Rosie Brooks entitled And The Crowd Goes Wild. “I think this one will hopefully catch the imagination of the public and whoever is going to buy it at the auction, and raise money for The Prince’s Trust, the Teenage Cancer Trust, and Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy – which are all great charities.”

GuitarTown London is an initiative of The Gibson Foundation, a division of Gibson Guitars that is dedicated to improving the quality of life through the support of arts, education, health and welfare, and environmental causes. It follows a similar event held in Nashville in 2005, which raised over $400,000 for local charities, and is coupled with an event currently being held in Austin, Texas. GuitarTown Austin features 65 giant sculptures and showcase guitars, which are currently on display in various locations around the city.

Celebrities such as Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Jamie Foxx, Dennis Quaid, Lance Armstrong, and Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines have all contributed their signatures to the artworks, to be auctioned at a special event at the Austin Grand Atrium on October 17. Bidders will have the chance to attend the Gala evening or bid online, with all proceeds going to the Health Alliance For Austin Musicians, the Austin Museum For Art, American Youthworks, and the Austin Children’s Museum.

“This public arts project showcases the enormous talent of both Austin’s visual and musical artists in the community,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO of Gibson Guitars. “I hope Austin GuitarTown strikes a chord in people’s souls.”

The London GuitarTown Gala and Auction will be held on November 8, in the Indigo Room at the O2 Dome, and the sculptures are currently on display at More London in South Bank. Other artists to have contributed to the 61 items include Rod Stewart, Katie Melua, Corinne Bailey Rae, KT Tunstall, the Kaiser Chiefs, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, James Blunt, Cliff Richard, Mark Knopfler, and Roger Waters.

“It seems the electric guitar is here to stay,” said Brian May, guitarist for Queen, who has two works included in the auction. “Gibson GuitarTown London looks set to become a glorious testament to this fact, and will be raising money and awareness for three great charities. I’m proud to endorse its imminent success.”

More information on the exhibitions and auctions can be found at www.londonguitartown.com.

Quaid Reunited With Charity Child

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:47:02 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Dennis Quaid got a surprise when a baby whose life he saved over a decade ago showed up on his charity fund raising stage as a bubbly teenager.

Overcome with emotion, he recalls, “I just broke down like a baby.” He’d brought baby Elka from Honduras to New Orleans where the International Hospital for Children (IHC) created an esophagus for her, and she was subsequently adopted by an American family.

No stranger to saving children’s lives, Quaid has worked with the charity for around 20 years. "We go down to Central America and identify children who need medical attention or surgeries that they can’t get in their country and bring them back to the United States for treatment.”

They also provide help in villages devoid of medical attention. “I went to Belize and we built and opened a clinic there. It is really gratifying to do because I see where the money is going and how it is helping these little kids – the child who needs help is standing right there in front of me.”

President and founder of IHC, Mayer J. Heiman, is impressed by Quaid’s dedication: “He carries sick children, loads trucks, moves supplies, and helps us transport kids. He is 100% hands-on. That’s very uncommon. He has a gift with children and treats every single one of them with TLC.”

Quaid’s annual golf fundraiser, the Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend, also benefits children’s charities: the Austin Children’s Shelter, Any Baby Can, and the Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas.

Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend Aims to Raise $500,000

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 21:33:39 -0000

Written by Steve Purcell

Over 30 celebrities are expected to attend the Dennis Quaid 2006 Charity Weekend from 4th-7th of May in Austin, Texas, where the actor lives.

Top names such as Hugh Grant, Greg Kinnear and Matthew McConaughey will reportedly be among those aiming to raise $500,000 for local and international children’s charities. Planned events include a celebrity poker challenge, a fashion show, an auction, golf and a benefit concert by Quaid’s band The Sharks.

The Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend has become an annual event since its inauguration in 2003, and has raised $700,000 to date. This year’s event will benefit Any Baby Can, Austin Children’s Shelter, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, and the International Hospital for Children.

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