Look To The Stars News: Green Day

Green Day's Vegan Shoes Go To Charity

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Last month, Look To The Stars brought you the news that Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt had designed a new vegan shoe. Now we can reveal that he is donating all royalties from sales to shoe charity Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity dedicated to providing free shoes to people in need.

The “45 RPM” Studio Project shoe hit the streets worldwide in June 2009, on the tail of Green Day’s highly anticipated album release, “21st Century Breakdown.” The shoe, just like the band, is turning heads around the world.

The “45 RPM” comes in the lax low top or aggressive high top, so choose your statement and rock it fully; either way, both options are 100 percent vegan-crafted, containing zero animal products in the construction and distribution. The shoe comes in black, but is highlighted with distressed gold lining and eyelets, and even showcases custom 45 RPM record artwork. If that’s not enough, the shoe’s boot-like construction is sure to fit Mike’s unique style.

Macbeth Footwear is excited to get these shoes onto your feet so you can check out “21st Century Breakdown” in the utmost appropriate style.

Dirnt’s decision to personally contribute all the royalties from this shoe towards Soles4Souls has energized the charity: “We are so excited to be a part of this incredible promotion,” said Wayne Elsey, Founder and CEO of Soles4Souls. “We are very grateful for Mike Dirnt’s generosity and encourage everyone to check out Mike’s awesome new shoes.”

Check out the shoes here. More info can be found here.

Go Back To School With Celebrity Items

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Grammy Foundation and MusiCares want you to rock in the new school year by taking part in a new charity auction that features unique memorabilia and VIP experiences that benefit their high school music programs.

Decorate your room with original artwork and photos from Taylor Swift and Paris Hilton, signed postcards from Kanye West and Stevie Wonder, and play on guitars signed by Depeche Mode, John Mayer, Tom Petty and Sheryl Crow.

The auction also gives you the chance to extend your wardrobe with hoodies signed by the Jonas Brothers and a T shirt signed by Iggy Pop. There are also items and experiences from Coldplay, Maroon 5, Joe Satriani, the Dave Matthews Band, Slash, Alice Cooper, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Hudson, Neil Diamond, 3 Doors Down, John Legend, Jason Mraz, U2, Melissa Etheridge, Green Day and many more.

The GRAMMY Foundation cultivates the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the impact of music on American culture through music education programs, scholarships and grants, and MusiCares provides a safety net of critical financial assistance and services for music people in times of need.

The auction runs until July 31 and can be accessed here.

Green Day's Vegan Shoes

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt has designed his own shoe, the 45 RPM Schubert, in collaboration with vegan footwear company Macbeth.

Established in 2002, Macbeth shoes contain no animal products. In 2007, Macbeth won “Best Vegan Skate Shoe” from Peta2.

Dirnt’s new shoe features a canvas and synthetic patent upper with a rubber sole. Styled in black, the shoe is classic punk, a modern version of something you would expect to see The Clash wearing. Various styles of the shoe start at around $69.99 U.S.

To view the 45 RPM Schubert, visit the Macbeth website.

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.

Stars For A Cause To Raise Charity Funds Tonight

Thu, 28 May 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A selection of items designed and decorated by some of Entertainment’s biggest stars will go under the hammer at Bonhams and Butterfields Auction House in Los Angeles tonight, May 28.

The Stars For A Cause Auction features a wide range of rare and collectable items, such as posters signed by Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anna Paquin, David Duchovny, Rumer Willis, Jonas Brothers, P. Diddy, America Ferrera, Hayden Panettiere, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Colin Farrell, Anne Hathaway, Steve Carell, Emma Thompson, Marisa Tomei, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Tina Fey, Steven Spielberg and many more.

There are also shoes from William Shatner and Ludacris, and bags adorned with kisses from Al Roker, Nancy O’Dell, Nicollette Sheridan, Marcia Cross, Hugh Laurie, Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Geena Davis, Eva Longoria, Felicity Huffman, Teri Hatcher, Reese Witherspoon, Kelly Clarkson, Green Day, Keira Knightley, Paula Abdul, John Legend and many more.

And if that is not all, there are also cufflinks from Miley Cyrus and Trace Adkins, and jewelry from many others.

A public preview of the lots will take place between 12pm and 5pm today, at the Bonhams and Butterfields Auction House at 7601 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles. The auction will begin at 8pm.

Half of the proceeds of the auction will go to charities chosen by the participating stars, such as the The Art of Elysium, Keep A Child Alive, Red Cross, Elton John AIDS Foundation, UNICEF and many many more. The other half will go to the Prince’s Trust, which helps young people develop confidence, motivation and skills to find work.

More information can be found here.

Eric Clapton Signs Guitar For Leukaemia Children

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A guitar signed by Eric Clapton was just one of the items that were featured in a charity auction held in the UK last weekend that raised over £6,000 (US$8,500) for Children With Leukaemia.

The guitar – which was also signed by Mike Rutherford from Genesis and Procol Harum singer Gary Brooker – went under the hammer for £500 at the event, held in Norwich. Also up for auction was a guitar signed by Green Day, which sold for £840, and a Clapton-signed DVD of a Cream reunion at the Albert Hall that sold for £200.

Children With Leukaemia is the UK’s leading charity dedicated exclusively to fighting Britain’s biggest childhood cancer. For more than 20 years, they have been helping children affected by leukaemia. They fund research into causes and treatments, support families through welfare programmes and campaign on their behalf. Their current fundraising campaign is being fronted by British celebrity Chris Tarrant, and the charity also enjoys support from Jonathan Ross, Judi Dench, Phil Collins, Joanna Lumley, Paul McCartney and many more.

To find out more about the charity, check out their website.

Celebrity-Signed Guitars Up For Auction This Weekend

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Look To The Stars would like to remind readers about the Phoenix Guitar Gala being held on Saturday, February 28, in Petaluma, California. As reported earlier, the event features an auction of guitars signed by some awesome stars.

Over 20 guitars signed by famous faces such as George Lucas, Carlos Santana, BB King, Seth Green, Devo, Stan Lee and many more will go under the hammer, with 100% of the proceeds supporting the free-of-charge after-school music, theater and arts programs for at-risk youth of the North Bay – as well as to help preserve the historic Phoenix Theater, which has served as an important performing arts venue for over 100 years – hosting a diverse group of artists ranging from Enrico Caruso to Louis Armstrong, from Carlos Santana, Sublime, and Metallica to Green Day and Hilary Duff.

The mission of the Petaluma Phoenix Theater is to foster the emotional, physical and social development of the young people we serve, specifically at risk youth, by enabling them to create and engage in programs for music, the arts, and health and wellness, while preserving and improving the historic Phoenix Theater as a resource for youth and the community at large.

The event will feature a Brazilian Carnival theme, and will take place at the Phoenix Center at 201 Washington Ave, Petaluma, on February 27-28. More info and tickets can be found at the Guitar Gala website.

Stars Sign Hardhats For Charity Auction

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles has launched an online auction at Clothes Off Our Back featuring hardhats signed by celebrity volunteers and supporters of Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity.

The hardhats are signed and decorated by music, television and film stars including: Green Day, Ricky Martin, Linkin Park, U2, Justin Timberlake, The Jonas Brothers, Carrie Underwood, Stevie Wonder and many more. The auction will run through March 6 with 100% of the proceeds helping to build more affordable homes in Greater Los Angeles.

“Through our non-profit organization, [”Music for Relief":http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/551-music-for-relief], and our ongoing partnership with Habitat for Humanity we have had the opportunity to not only sponsor homes, but also to go and build the houses ourselves, and to meet the families that were moving into them," said Dave “Phoenix” Farrell of Linkin Park. “We hope this hardhat auction will raise awareness for Habitat’s mission and help raise funds for families in need.”

In 2007 Habitat for Humanity kicked off its “Building a Greater Los Angeles” campaign to build and renovate 250 more homes. In conjunction with the “Building a Greater Los Angeles” Gala held last fall, Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity held a successful online auction with VIP experiences and signed memorabilia donated by celebrity supporters, which raised over $75,000. Following the success of the first online auction, Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity began outreach to high profile supporters, as well as new supporters, who wanted to support Habitat’s mission which resulted in more than 70 signed hardhats. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver were among those who autographed hardhats to help kick off this auction.

“I have had the chance to personally give the keys to several families moving into homes sponsored by the Ricky Martin Foundation in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, an organization I’ve been involved with for many years. I’ve been fortunate enough to see with my own eyes the difference a home makes in the life of a child,” said Ricky Martin. “Now, by simply bidding on an item in an auction, you have the chance to change lives and build hope.”

“Los Angeles continues to rank last in housing affordability and this kind of support helps us raise awareness, as well as much needed funding, to help low income families live in safe, decent homes,” said Erin Rank, president/CEO Habitat for Humanity of Greater L.A. “These hardhats are very special as most were signed the day of an actual build and we are thrilled to receive these fun and generous donations.”

Other stars to sign the hard hats include: Chris Pine, David Archuleta, Enrique Iglesias, Gavin Rossdale, Kate Beckinsale, Katy Perry, Keith Urban, Josh Groban, Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Neil Diamond, Ne-Yo, the Pussycat Dolls, Taylor Swift, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron. A complete list of celebrity supporters of this auction can be found at the auction site.

George Lucas Signs Guitar For Charity Gala

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A long time ago (earlier this week) in a galaxy far, far away (called Petaluma, California), Star Wars creator George Lucas signed a brand new Gibson guitar for a special charity auction.

The film making legend is one of 20 artists to sign instruments for the Phoenix Guitar Gala, an event that aims to raise money for the Petaluma Phoenix Center, a facility that offers music and arts programs. Proceeds from the auction will go towards the free-of-charge after-school music, theater and arts programs for at-risk youth of the North Bay. They will also help preserve the historic Phoenix Theater, which has served as an important performing arts venue for over 100 years and has hosted a diverse group of artists ranging from Metallica to Green Day and Hilary Duff.

Other artists who have signed guitars for the event include Carlos Santana, BB King, Seth Green, Devo, Stan Lee and many more.

The event will feature a Brazilian Carnaval theme, and will take place at the Phoenix Center at 201 Washington Ave, Petaluma, on February 27-28. More info and tickets can be found at the Guitar Gala website.

Bid2Beat AIDS For Special Christmas Gifts

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

One of the biggest celebrity charity auction events of the year is currently gearing up for its launch on December 1.

Bid2Beat AIDS is an annual event that will feature over 1000 items from top stars such as 50 Cent, Adam Sandler, Adrian Grenier, Aerosmith, Alec Baldwin, Amy Winehouse, Antonio Banderas, Britney Spears, Cameron Diaz, Common , Death Cab for Cutie, Denzel Washington, P. Diddy, Donny Osmond, Elton John, Fall Out Boy, Foo Fighters, Good Charlotte, Green Day, Hanson, Hilary Duff, Jake Gyllenhaal, James Blunt, James Earl Jones, James Morrison, Jamie Foxx, Jay-Z , Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeremy Piven, Jessica Alba, John Legend, Johnny Depp, Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Ludacris , M.I.A., Madonna, Mariah Carey, Neil Patrick Harris, Ozzy Osbourne, Phil Collins, Raven Symone, Razorlight, Rihanna , Sacha Baron Cohen, Sharon Osbourne, Victoria Beckham, Whoopi Goldberg, Will Ferrell, Wyclef Jean, and many, many more. Also up for grabs will be VIP tickets to concerts and backstage visits with stars like Bernadette Peters, Jewel, Aimee Mann, Joan Rivers, and Michael Feinstein.

The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity. The first three BID 2 BEAT AIDS auctions raised nearly $250,000, and this year’s looks set to be the biggest yet.

More info about the auction can be found at the Bid2Beat AIDS website, and the auction will go live on World AIDS Day here.

Look To The Stars will keep you posted as the items are announced.

Green Day Singer Shows His Soul

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Green Day singer Billy Joe Armstrong has had his own official shoe released by Converse sneakers, with some of the profits to go to charity.

The shoe – called 1HUN(RED) – is primarily black with red soles, and made from hemp and leather. 10% of the proceeds from each pair sold will go to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt also has his own custom shoe coming out soon.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world’s most devastating diseases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need. The Fund has committed over US$ 5.4 billion in 131 countries to support aggressive interventions against all three.

The shoes are available in a range of sizes up to 13 and a half, cost $69.99, and are available wherever good shoes are “soled”…

Bono's Fishy T-Shirt Benefits African Farmers

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:41:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bono has designed a new T-shirt for charity, joining a host of other celebrities in an on-going and major charity campaign.

The 47-year-old singer from U2 is the 25th artist to design a shirt for Hard Rock Café’s Signature Series clothing line, an initiative started in 1990 as a way for musicians to raise money for charities of their choice. Sales from the shirts have raised over $6 million for a variety of causes.

Bono’s creation, available for $26 from the Hard Rock website, features his stylized drawing of a fish soaring past the moon, and is adorned with the words “Fish Can Fly”, as well as his signature. 15% of the proceeds will go to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Conservation Cotton initiative – a scheme designed to lift African farmers out of poverty by providing education on proper land management, organic cotton growing techniques, and wildlife conservation. The shirts will also support the trade for aid ethos of EDUN, the conscious consumerism fashion label founded by Bono and his wife in 2005, by being made from 100% African cotton and manufactured by African garment workers.

Other artists to have designed shirts for the initiative in the past include Green Day, who raised money for Amnesty International’s Campaign To Save Darfur, Shakira who chose to benefit Pies Descalzos, Ozzy Osbourne for the Sharon Osbourne Colon Cancer Program, Bruce Springsteen for World Hunger Year, Eric Clapton for the Crossroads Centre, Peter Gabriel for Witness, Sting and Elton John for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Michael Stipe for Artists for a New South Africa, Don Henley for the Walden Woods Project, John Mellencamp for the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation, and Stevie Nicks for the Special Olympics. Carlos Santana and Aerosmith have also contributed designs. Many of these shirts are still available from the Hard Rock website.

Bono’s “Fish Can Fly” is more than just a phrase – it is a message that tomorrow can be better than today.

Bid Now For Christmas Gifts

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:21:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The countdown to Christmas has begun, and celebrities are doing their best to make holiday shopping easy this year. Several charity auctions have already kicked off to raise money for good causes, including one that may be eBay’s largest sale of celebrity items… ever!

The BID 2 BEAT AIDS online auction will open on December 1, World AIDS Day, and will feature over 1000 specially signed items, ranging from posters to iPods. The annual auction will raise money for LIFEbeat, the music industry’s AIDS fundraising and service charity, and in the past has raised up to $175,000.

The array of memorabilia up for sale this year is simply colossal, with perhaps the most interesting items being a series of “Lend a Hand to LIFEbeat” cards that feature the handprints of over 100 celebrities. Stars such as Britney Spears, Jack Black, and Kathy Griffin traced around the outlines of their hands and decorated their artworks for the auction, and the finished products will make a unique addition to any Christmas stocking.

Also included in the auction is a selection of signed musical instruments. Rapper 50 Cent has donated the tambourines he used during his performance at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, and Metallica and the Foo Fighters have both donated guitars. There are also over 200 official RIAA gold and platinum record awards up for sale, from artists such as Annie Lennox, Jon Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, and Green Day. Rare tour crew jackets from Guns N Roses, Cher, George Michael, and Prince are also available.

There are a stack of autographed CDs and DVDs on offer in the auction, from Mariah Carey, Elton John, Rihanna, Fall Out Boy, Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Val Kilmer, as well as books signed by Madonna, Bill Clinton, Rosie O’Donnell, Martha Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ethan Hawke. Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Elijah Wood, and Usher have all signed posters for the auction.

For those people after something a little different, the auction also includes an iPod designed by Yoko Ono, a box of cereal signed by Will Ferrell, Borat’s hat signed by Sacha Baron Cohen, and a Spiderman action figure autographed by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

And if nothing mentioned so far whets your appetite, there are also signed items from Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Nelly, Joan Collins, John Travolta, Kanye West, The Cure, Jay-Z, Cameron Diaz, Victoria Beckham, Robin Williams, Hilary Duff, Jason Alexander, Jack Nicholson, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adam Sandler, John Legend, Jessica Simpson, Whoopi Goldberg, Aerosmith, Denzel Washington, Good Charlotte, James Blunt, Jeremy Piven, Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Norah Jones, Razorlight, Wyclef Jean, and many more… far too many to list here.

More information and a full list of items can be found at www.bid2beataids.com.

As if this wasn’t enough choice for Christmas shoppers, there are also several other auctions and events on the go at the moment. The biggest of these is the 10th Annual Collaborating For A Cure Benefit Dinner and Auction, a massive black tie gala to be held on November 29. It also happens to be one of the highest grossing charity events held every year in New York, and last year raised over $4 million for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that has provided over $55 million in grants to cancer research, and has been instrumental in the development of new cancer drugs.

The gala dinner and live auction will be held at the 69th Regiment Armory on Lexington Avenue, New York City, and over 1200 guests are expected to attend. The host for the evening is Chevy Chase, and attendees will be treated to a very special performance by Glenn Frey and Joe Walsh, members of 70’s rock group, the Eagles.

Selected items up for auction on the night as well as online include dinner with Chevy Chase, the chance to play tennis with Andre Agassi, and a meet and greet with Aerosmith.

More information can be found at www.charitybuzz.com.

Also on the Charitybuzz website is an auction to raise funding for Stand Up For A Cure, an organization dedicated to lung cancer research and awareness.

The auction runs from November 28 until December 12, and features unique items such as the chance to have Andrea Bocelli perform in your own home, the opportunity to have Patti LaBelle host your cocktail party, and VIP tickets to see Céline Dion at Madison Square Gardens.

And if you still can’t find a suitable gift, have a look at the Have A Heart Auction on Charitybuzz. All proceeds from the auction, which features the chance to meet Avril Lavigne, a copy of “An Inconvenient Truth” signed by Al Gore, and a “Godfather II” DVD signed by Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, will benefit HEART, an organization that aims to foster compassion and respect for all living beings.

But you have to be in quick, as the auction ends on November 29.

Stars Line Up For Wildfire Auction

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:19:45 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

An exciting new auction, featuring memorabilia from rock bands young and old, has been launched on eBay to raise funds and awareness for victims of the recent Californian wildfires.

Rockers Linkin Park, and their charitable foundation Music for Relief, have teamed up with the non-profit organization Unite The United to stage the auction, which runs on eBay Giving Works until November 15. Proceeds from the auction are to be donated to the California Community Foundation’s Southern California Relief Fund, which is working hard in the aftermath of the wildfires to support victims and firefighters. A portion of the money raised will also go to American Forests, an organization that will help with the reforestation of 800 square miles of greenery destroyed in the fires that raged for over two weeks from Santa Barbara County to the Mexican border.

Over 60 items, including signed instruments and concert tickets, are up for sale in the auction, which follows an earlier donation of $50,000 made by Linkin Park to wildfire victims. This was followed by a donation from classic rockers the Eagles, also of $50,000, made to the firefighters involved in stopping the fires, and $160,000 donated to the cause by Gwen Stefani.

Some of the items in the auction have already raised bids of $1000, including an Xbox 360 game console featuring artwork and signatures from Linkin Park. The Eagles have donated signed CDs, as have stadium favorites Chicago. Aerosmith has donated a drum kit signed by singer Steven Tyler, and other merchandise from artists as diverse as Madonna, Tori Amos, Green Day, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Rob Zombie, and Less Than Jake is available to the highest bidder.

Linkin Park, known for their nu metal albums Hybrid Theory and Meteora, founded Music For Relief in 2005 to provide aid to victims of natural disasters, and have in the past donated over $2 million to causes such as Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami in South East Asia. Singer Chester Bennington decided to join together with the Unite The United Foundation, whose mission is to encourage music fans, artists, and industry leaders to work towards positive changes in the community, after being moved by images of the wildfires that left 90 people injured, 12 dead, and destroyed over 2000 homes and buildings. Over 900,000 people were evacuated during the fires, and the band hopes the proceeds from the auction will be used to aid the victims in their intermediate and long-term recovery, especially in terms of the provision of affordable housing.

The auction can be viewed at www.ebay.com/cawildfires.

Bono Awarded For AIDS Work

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 10:32:08 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bono has received an award at an AIDS charity event in New York.

The U2 frontman was honored for his humanitarian work at The Black Ball, a ceremony held at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 25 to raise money for the Keep A Child Alive foundation, a non-profit organization that provides treatment to AIDS victims in Africa.

The sparkling evening of cocktails, dinner, and rare musical performances was organized and co-hosted by Alicia Keys, a Global Ambassador for the foundation, who described Bono as “an amazing man [who] works tirelessly at really having a cause and fighting for it. He is an inspiration and single-handedly made it cool to have something to speak about.”

“Rock stars always want to do two things,” said Bono, who was honored to accept the award but insisted he would rather be giving out the accolades. “They want to have fun and change the world. If you can do both at the same time, you’re OK.”

The event, which featured performances by Gwen Stefani and Sheryl Crow, as well as by Bono and Keys, attracted a host of celebrities who are both known for their support of the foundation and who wanted to show their respect for Bono’s work. David Bowie, Jay-Z, P. Diddy, Petra Nemcova, and members of Green Day were all spotted during the evening.

“This is an awesome opportunity to step up out of compassion and try to do the smallest of things,” said Crow, a few minutes before performing a duet with Keys. “Just to play some music and raise some money. I’m really proud of Alicia for doing it, and obviously I’m a huge fan of Bono and all the work he’s done.”

“I love Bono,” added Keys, who teamed up with the Irish singer in 2005 to record a version of Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up” for Keep A Child Alive. “I really respect what he has done for Africa, and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life. Keep A Child Alive is my passion and heartfelt mission. I believe AIDS is the most important issue we face, because how we treat the poor is a reflection of who we are as people. I urge everyone to recognize the extreme disaster Africa is facing.”

Africa currently has 12 million AIDS orphans, and less than 5% of the population has access to life-saving anti-retroviral treatment. It is estimated that there are 40 million people infected with the disease, 3 million of them children, with 700,000 more children becoming infected every year. Through its fundraising, Keep A Child Alive has funded several AIDS clinics in Africa, saving lives in Kenya, Durban, Johannesburg, Kigali, Rwanda, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Uganda. They also provide funds for the Agape Orphanage and the Go Go Grannies in South Africa. Keep A Child Alive is a partner of the ONE Campaign, which aims to help Americans to work against the worldwide emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty.

“I am a Global Ambassador for Keep A Child Alive,” said Iman, who co-hosted the Black Ball with Keys. “So it is something I have been doing for quite a while. I am from Africa, and there are a lot of orphan children in Africa whose parents have died from AIDS, and also there are a lot of kids infected with HIV. So we want to provide the drugs that are available in the West, and to make them affordable for poor countries as well, especially the continent of Africa.”

More information on Keep A Child Alive, whose Global Ambassadors also include Liv Tyler and Jessica Alba, can be found at www.keepachildalive.org.

Stars Design Plates For Charity

Fri, 07 Sep 2007 17:51:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

For those who want to have dinner with the stars, this could be the next best thing. A selection of dinner plates designed by celebrities are for sale, with proceeds going to charity.

The plates feature designs by David Bowie, George Clooney, Giorgio Armani, Coldplay, Minnie Driver, and Sir Michael Caine, and are part of a fundraising initiative from 21st Century Leaders, a non-profit organization that plans to raise $3 million over three years through its “Whatever It Takes” celebrity-designed merchandise. So far, the organization has raised almost $1.5 million to fund “charitable projects in developing countries, and contribute to the protection of the environment and other causes”.

21st Century Leaders was founded by Charlotte di Vita, MBE, a goodwill ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. The 39 year old founded her first charity, Trade plus Aid, in 1992, which has raised over $5 million and helped communities in 21 developing countries to become self-supporting. A desire to do more led di Vita to start Whatever It Takes, a unique charity art project where celebrities donate their own artwork, which is then transferred onto “merchandise with a meaning”.

“It’s 15 minutes of their time to do an artwork,” said di Vita. “And it’s not just for a one-off sale or auction – I can use it to create employment and royalties that will help the charities for years to come.”

Proceeds from the products are distributed to a charity of the designer’s choice, and the dinner plates (which retail for $20) will benefit Oxfam, Save the Children, CARE International, UNHCR, and Anti-Slavery International. Other products available include mugs featuring the designs of Claudia Schiffer, Ewan McGregor, and Nicole Kidman (also retailing for $20), T-shirts designed by the Kaiser Chiefs ($80), shoes designed by Ozzy Osbourne ($80), and wristbands by Joss Stone, Green Day, and Paul McCartney ($6).

All merchandise is available from www.whateverittakes.org.

Hilary Duff Dishes It Out at Homeless Shelter

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:03:34 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Singer Hilary Duff served up chicken and stew for hundreds of homeless and working poor men last week at Hope Mission’s Herb Jamieson Center, a shelter in downtown Edmonton, Alberta. She stopped by the Center as part of her campaign to raise awareness about poverty and hunger.

“It’s nice when someone who makes a lot of money will look you in the eye and treat you like a real person,” Hope Mission spokeswoman Janelle Aker said, adding that Duff’s efforts could also help raise awareness with a younger demographic.

The pop star was in town as part of the Canadian leg of her North American Dignity tour, which kicked off last weekend. Duff is once again asking concert-goers to bring along non-perishable food donations to be collected at concert gates by The Salvation Army and distributed by food charity Harvest. Harvest chapters “collect surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and other food producers and immediately deliver it to missions, shelters, soup kitchens and food banks.” During her previous two Canadian tours, Duff raised over 125,000 pounds for Alberta Harvest. Harvest founder Stan Curtis says each concert can bring in as many as 3,000 cans of food, enough for 6,000 meals.  

Last November Duff bought 200,000 meals through USA Harvest for Hurricane Katrina refugees still in shelters over a year after the disaster. Curtis says, “Hilary has set an extraordinary example with her generous contributions to the Gulf Coast victims of (the) tragic hurricanes. With her current contribution, Hilary will have donated over 2.7 million meals to the victims who still need these generous donations.”

Even so, Duff says, “A big misconception of charity work and celebrities is that it takes a lot of money. It doesn’t take a lot of money. Your time is the best thing you can give.” She feels that with compassion, homelessness and hunger are simple to solve.

Duff plans to meet with fans before her August 25 concert in Louisville, Kentucky, and is asking her fans to help her raise 1,000 cans of food at the event.

Scarlett Johansson, Green Day and Goo Goo Dolls are also contributors to USA Harvest.

Green Day For Darfur

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 10:03:30 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Punk rock band Green Day has designed a limited edition t-shirt on sale at Hard Rock locations the world over, and a portion of the proceeds will go to The Amnesty International Campaign to aid Darfur, Sudan.

The Working Class Hero T-shirt is only part of Green Day’s commitment to “Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur,” which aims to raise awareness of the plight of civilians in Darfur being killed and misplaced everyday. Over 300,000 have died and 2.5 million have fled to neighboring countries.

Green Day has also contributed to the Instant Karma CD, and all proceeds from the over 50 musical acts that have joined this international effort will go directly to support Amnesty International’s work on Darfur and other human rights crises worldwide.

Gaining Pounds Never Felt So Good

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:21:00 -0000

Written by Nadia Lias

Gaining a few pounds might make most people anxious, but Hilary Duff has gained over 4,000,000 pounds – of food – and brought joy to homeless and hungry people across the United States. The food was collected for USA Harvest during her concert tour, to which she had asked fans to bring canned items.

USA Harvest was founded in 1989 in Louisville, Kentucky with a mission to feed as many hungry people as possible by moving food from people with too much to those with too little.

Hillary asked her fans for a small amount, but the final collection was so big that she has helped save millions of dollars of food money, which now can be re-allocated to other extremely important needs such as clothing, shelter, job training and opportunities, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and counselling programs.

Other celebrities who are helping homeless and hungry people across the United States with USA Harvest are Scarlett Johansson, Green Day and the Goo Goo Dolls.

New CD To Raise Aid For Darfur

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:28:22 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign To Save Darfur is a new CD that seeks to raise aid for the humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur. It features the music of John Lennon recorded by some of the world’s best known musicians.

U2, Green Day, Christina Aguilera, and Avril Lavigne are some of the 50 musical artists and groups that are included in the Amnesty International project.

The album was released around the world on 12 June by Warner Bros Records, and was put together by Amnesty International’s “Make Some Noise” initiative.

“Make Some Noise” is a global venture that hopes to inspire a new generation to stand up for human rights. It mixes music, celebration and action to protect people wherever freedom is denied. Yoko Ono has been a longtime supporter of the initiative, and donated the rights to the entire John Lennon songbook to the project.

“Music speaks the language of freedom, revolution and solidarity. Without that freedom – without music that is angry, joyful and necessary – we are nothing” she said of the album’s release.

The CD calls attention to the war-torn countries of Darfur and Chad. All proceeds from the album and music downloads will go towards alleviating the risk of starvation and disease in these areas.

Other artists featured on the CD include Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper. REM is also featured, and drummer Bill Berry came out of retirement to record the track “#9 Dream”. It is the first time the original four band members, including singer Michael Stipe, have been in the studio together since 1997.

Green Day and U2 single to benefit Music Rising

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 15:13:32 -0000

Written by Hannah Coone

Two of the biggest bands in history are to release a joint single to benefit the rebuilding of New Orleans. Green Day and U2 got together for dinner in February to try and think of a project suitable for this cause. Seven months later, the bands met again in London at the studios in Abbey Road made famous by The Beatles, and tried a cover of ‘The Saints Are Coming’, originally recorded by The Skids in 1978.

On September 25th, Green Day and U2 gave the song its first live show at the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome, to support the New Orleans Saints’ first home game in the NFL since the Katrina disaster.

The Saints themselves had said they would like to play U2’s hit song ‘Beautiful Day’ before each match. So, U2 themselves performed the song to end the night’s pre-game show. “It’s a good song,” the Edge said. “I hope … for New Orleans it’s like the past is laid to rest and from now on, OK, we have a lot of problems to get over but now the party starts so ‘Beautiful Day’ is probably a fitting song.”

Before the night’s big game, Green Day took the stage and performed their hit single ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends’. Armstrong chose this song because “I think the sort of thing that it resonates is hope, you know.”

U2’s The Edge has already been making headlines with his charity Music Rising, a charity that replaces instruments lost by professional musicians in the disaster. This is something that Green Day front-man Billie Joe Armstrong is completely behind; “I think every musician who earns money doing what they do owes a little bit of a debt to New Orleans.”

“One year later, people continue to be devastated by Katrina’s effects,” Billie Joe Armstrong said in a news release. “We hope that by collaborating with U2, we’ll remind the public that people of the Gulf Coast are still suffering and still need help to rebuild their lives.”

The song will be released for digital download on October 30th and as a CD single on November 6th.

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