Alicia Keys Celebrity Charity Auction To Support Keep A Child Alive

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:25:00 -0000

Alicia Keys and many of her celebrity friends are coming together for a star-studded celebrity charity auction benefitting Keep A Child Alive.

The list of celebrity ambassadors for Keep a Child Alive is as extensive as it is impressive and they are urging others to support the fight against AIDS in Africa. Join Alicia and celebrities such as Scarlett Johansson, Bill Cosby, Britney Spears, Russell Crowe, Rachael Ray, Kirsten Dunst, Magic Johnson, Forest Whitaker, Jenny McCarthy, Josh Brolin, Denzel Washington, the NY Giants and many more as they come together to raise support and money for an inspiring cause.

The celebrity-inspired auction features numerous items that have been generously donated by some of Hollywood’s most talented and brightest stars with big hearts. Bidders have a chance to win hot items such as VIP tickets to the Black Ball hosted by Alicia Keys and Iman.

This auction package ends Monday, November 10th, so make sure to get your high bid in early. Other auction packages include autographed American Gangster posters and scripts from Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, signed High School Musical poster from Vanessa Hudgens, 2 signed DVD’s of the Nanny Diaries from Scarlett Johansson, a signed Alex Rodriguez jersey, spending a day with Bonnie and Thor, the reigning King and Queen of Tweens, signed Brooks & Dunn jean jacket and photograph, a signed “How I Met Your Mother” script from Britney Spears, and many more items from celebrities such as Marlon Wayans, Mariska Hargitay, Rick Fox, Tyler Perry, Channing Tatum, the Cheetah Girls, Ryan Seacrest, Dwayne Wade, Julian McMahon and others! This group of auction packages and many others end on November 15th.

This auction is crucial for saving the lives of millions of mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. AIDS is a growing epidemic in Africa and has left nearly 13 million children orphans, young mothers without children, and husband’s without wives. The proceeds from this auction will help provide communities with life-saving medication, support, and orphan care to keep children and families alive. Keep a Child Alive is a global initiative to help those who cannot help themselves; bidders are urged to take a stand against this fatal disease and help make a difference.

For more information and to view all the lots, visit www.auctionwire.com/keepachildalive.

The Magnitude of Fortitude - When Parkinson’s Patients Feel Their Lives Are Crumbling, The HollyRod Foundation Provides Stability

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:08:00 -0000

Written by Jill Marie Elliott

It is a tremor that will send shockwaves through nearly 60,000 families in the U.S. this year. However, it will not be registering on the Richter scale; the shift in their world will be caused by the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. They will join the estimated 1.5 million afflicted Americans, along with their loved ones, who feel the reverberations of a disorder that leaves physical destruction, emotional devastation and financial ruin in its wake. Out of this rubble, a resolve emerges to research and fund a cure amongst the chaos.

For many, the first rumblings of Parkinson’s Disease are noticed in slurred speech, muscle stiffness, a shuffling gait; for actress Holly Robinson-Peete, it was noticing her dad walking with a limp while dropping her off at college in 1982. Upon returning home for Christmas of that year, Holly was told of his Bell’s Palsy, a condition that causes the facial muscles to weaken or become paralyzed. At the age of 46, this was the onset of his diagnosis with Parkinson’s Disease.

His name may not sound familiar, however many know Matt Robinson as the man who swept our cares away. His role playing the original Gordon on Sesame Street endeared us to this gentleman who would go on to write and produce for some of televisions best-loved comedies, including Sanford & Son, Eight is Enough, and The Cosby Show.

“When my father got sick, our whole world fell apart,” expressed Holly in a 2002 iParenting.com interview.

Even though Matthew had a successful career in the entertainment business, there was a substantial financial strain created by the medical needs of the disease. Fortunately Holly and her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and the rest of Matthew’s supportive family alleviated that stress. Moved by so many patients they encountered who did go without the physical, emotional and financial support, the Beverly Hills humanitarian husband and wife team were determined to create an organization that dealt straight-on with these issues. The HollyRod Foundation for Help and Hope was founded in 1997 in honor of Matthew T. Robinson, Sr.

The HollyRod Foundation joined forces in 2002 with the Center for Parkinson’s Research and Movement Disorders at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, in establishing The HollyRod Compassionate Care Program. This partnership enables HollyRod to provide individual patients with financial and medical assistance, along with other services and care as needed.

HollyRod is a lightning rod for charitable celebrities. The foundation presents two annual phenomenal fundraisers to raise money and awareness throughout the year. The star-studded DesignCure and Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Fashion Show & Brunch feature haute ensembles and cool entertainment!

Decked out in dynamic fashion designs from ESCADA, models took to the catwalk, delighting DesignCure 2006 invited guests such as Chris Rock, Star Jones Reynolds, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Angie Harmon and Samuel L. Jackson. The auction this year included a set of three guitars autographed by members of U2, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin! Boxing legend and three-time host of DesignCure Sugar Ray Leonard had the distinction of joining former honoree, famed fighter Muhammad Ali,
when he was presented with the HollyRod Foundation Humanitarian Award for his knockout charitable efforts. The summer evening ended on a high-note with a musical performance by Grammy winner Jill Scott. In its eight years of existence, DesignCure has raised over one million dollars.

The Gridiron Glamour fundraiser fuses fashion & football together in an event held during Super Bowl week. In the past, the event has showcased the top fashion designs from Saks Fifth Avenue couture collection. The hottest trends & threads were worn by a team that included supermodel and hostess Niki Taylor, singing sensations Patti LaBelle, Kelly Rowland and Marc Anthony, sport stars Rick Fox, Serena Williams and Jason Sehorn and Hollywood personalities Daisy Fuentes, Nancy O’Dell & Carmen Electra!

The 2007 Gridiron Glamour Celebrity Fashion Show & Brunch will be held in Miami, Florida on February 3rd. In addition to money raised for the HollyRod Foundation, the fundraiser bestows a non-profit organization in each Super Bowl city to serve as local beneficiary of the event. The 2007 recipient is The Honey Shine Foundation, a non-profit mentoring program providing positive experiences that nurture the mind, body and soul of girls 6 to 18 years old in at-risk situations.

Mr. Robinson passed away from Parkinson’s Disease in August 2002, twenty years after being diagnosed. His spirit lives on in HollyRod’s ever-strengthening commitment to fostering help & hope to Parkinson’s patients, and their families and caregivers.

That’s one wave of compassion we can all roll with.

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The Magnitude of Fortitude - When Parkinson’s Patients Feel Their Lives Are Crumbling, The HollyRod Foundation Provides Stability

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