Look To The Stars News: Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg Launches Charity Auction

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Actor Mark Wahlberg is to launch a fantastic new online auction today, August 18, to raise money for The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.

The auction will feature three lots: the chance for two people to play a round of golf with Wahlberg at a top golf course; the opportunity to join Entourage’s Adrian Grenier for a round of golf in Los Angeles; and a private batting lesson with baseball legend David Ortiz.

The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for inner city youth through a working partnership with other youth organizations. The Foundation provides financial and community support to assist in making the dreams and ultimate potential of inner city youth become a reality.

The auction runs until September 17 and can be accessed here.

Appear In A Movie With Mark Wahlberg For Charity

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Now is your chance to appear in a film starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams – to help a good cause.

A new charity auction is giving you the chance to bid on a non-speaking, walk-on role in The Fighter. Filming will take place in early August 2009 in Boston, with the exact shoot date to be scheduled.

You’ll be on set with at least one of the stars, making this a truly rare and exciting opportunity. You’ll find out what film making is all about — from an insider’s point of view — in your day on the set.

Under the direction of David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees), The Fighter details the story of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, played by Wahlberg. Christine Bale plays Ward’s half-brother Dickie Eklund, his trainer who was also a boxer. The film recounts the story of their childhood in Lowell, MA, Eklund’s battle with drugs and violence and Ward winning the world championship in London.

Proceeds from the auction go to the Felix Organization, a charity founded by Darryl McDaniels and Sheila Jaffe that provides opportunities and new experiences that enrich the lives of children who are growing up without parents. Both McDaniels and Jaffe were adoptees who have searched for and found their birth families.

As they pursued their journey of discovery they realized how fortunate they are having been raised by a loving family and how things could have gone very differently had they not been adopted. As Darryl and Sheila say, “We got taken home – we want to give to those children who didn’t get taken home.”

The auction runs until July 30 and can be accessed here.

Cyndie Lauper Launches Charity Auction

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Cyndi Lauper has launched the True Colors Fund online auction which aims to raise money to strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and allied community by growing the number of volunteers and donors to the non-profit organizations working on their behalf.

Items up for grabs include lunch and Tarot card reading with Lauper, tickets to the Entourage season premiere in LA, a meet-and-greet with Bette Midler in Las Vegas, a set visit to 30 Rock, meet-and-greets with Lady Gaga and Rosie O’Donnell, autographed items from Dolly Parton, one-of-a-kind handwritten lyrics from Jason Mraz, Peter Gabriel, Michael Stipe and many more, and items from Mark Wahlberg, Yoko Ono and others.

“I am excited to launch the True Colors Fund’s Summer Online Auction,“ said Cyndi Lauper, who created the True Colors Tour, an annual music tour that tour benefits the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community and to the straight friends and family who love them, including PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and the Matthew Shepard Foundation, as well as local organizations in cities where the concerts were held. "There is literally something for everyone. All of the proceeds will go directly to support the True Color Fund’s work to get everyone – especially my fellow straight allies – to do what they can to help make equality a reality for the GLBT community.“

The True Colors Fund is currently developing an in-depth public awareness and education campaign to inspire, engage and challenge every GLBT and allied person to do what they can to personally effect change within and for the GLBT community by volunteering and supporting the organizations working on their behalf each and every day.

Planned to launch in late 2009, the campaign will include public service announcements (PSAs) that tell the personal stories of people who have been benefited from the work of GLBT organizations. The PSAs will also direct viewers to an extensive online volunteer village where they will find all the tools and information they will need to become and stay personally involved.

Also the True Colors Fund continues to work with the True Colors Tour to raise money and awareness for GLBT issues. Over the past 2 years, True Colors is proud to have raised over $200,000 for GLBT organizations like HRC, CenterLink & PFLAG.

The auction runs until June 25 and can be accessed here.

Usher Urges Youth To Be Great

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:00 -0000

As part of Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America’s (BGCA) new advocacy campaign — BE GREAT — five-time Grammy award winner, philanthropist and Boys & Girls Club alumnus Usher has unveiled a new billboard featuring his childhood picture and a call-to-action — BE ICONIC. Usher joins 25 prominent alumni in the new advocacy campaign to help increase public awareness and understanding about the positive impact of Clubs.

From academic failure and gang violence to poverty, drugs and obesity, America’s youth face a daunting array of problems — with serious consequences and fewer safety nets at home and in the community. According to a 2007 BGCA alumni survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 57 percent of alumni reported, “The Club saved my life,” while another 28 percent credited Boys & Girls Clubs with keeping them in school.

“Growing up in the Club, I had the chance to experience a lot of positive things; it helped reinforce the values I learned at home including good character, leadership and giving back to my community, my country and my world,” said Usher. “It’s where I developed my love of singing and performing, received help with my homework, and it’s where I found a safe place to go after school.”

In addition to unveiling the billboard, Usher recently visited the Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta where he was greeted by screams from more than 200 young members. He addressed the crowd with a simple message: “work hard to achieve your goals and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” During his visit he taped a short film about the positive impact the Club played in his life, which will be the first of several films of prominent alumni for BGCA. The film will debut on BGCA’s Web site www.BeGreatAmerica.org in May, and will also appear on BGCA’s social networking pages including Facebook and YouTube.

Other Club alumni joining Usher in the BE GREAT advocacy campaign include: Academy award-winning actor and national spokesperson for BGCA – Denzel Washington, Muhammad Ali, Ashanti, Swin Cash, Gen. Wesley Clark, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Shaquille O’Neal, Smokey Robinson, Martin Sheen, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Courtney B. Vance, Mark Wahlberg and Kerry Washington.

On May 14, Usher will be inducted into BGCA’s prestigious Alumni Hall of Fame (AHOF) at the organization’s 103rd National Conference in Atlanta.

“We are very excited about Usher joining our BE GREAT campaign and the awareness he will bring to the effectiveness of our generation-changing programs,” said BGCA President and CEO Roxanne Spillett. “He is a shining example of the impact of Clubs, and we are so proud of the great things he has gone on to accomplish.”

Usher will collaborate with BGCA and other alumni to urge the country’s political and business leaders to make the young people of America a priority and encourage every citizen to make a difference by supporting organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs — ensuring that every child has a safe, supervised and structured environment during the critical after-school hours.

Join Timbaland For The Gentlemen's Ball

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Join GQ and The Gentlemen’s Fund on October 15 for an exclusive fundraising event – The Gentlemen’s Ball – to celebrate and support all five 2008 Gentlemen’s Fund partner charities — MENC: The National Association for Music Education, The Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, The Alliance For Climate Protection, Hope North, and the Steve Nash Foundation.

The Gentlemen’s Fund was established to provide support and awareness for five cornerstones essential to men: opportunity, health, education, environment, and mentorship. A celebrity ambassador has been selected for each cornerstone, including Mark Wahlberg for opportunity, Steve Nash for health, Forest Whitaker for mentorship, Usher for the environment, and Timbaland for education.

The Gentlemen’s Ball will include cocktails and dinner, and a special performance from Timbaland. One ticket is $2,500 and admits 2 guests, and includes cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, full open bar, seated three-course dinner, live music performance, and chauffeured roundtrip car service to and from the Edison Ballroom (from one designated address within the New York Metro area only).

More information can be found at the Gentlemen’s Fund website.

Eva Longoria To Tee Off For Her Heroes

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Eva Longoria will be in Texas on October 18 for the second annual Eva’s Heroes Celebrity Golf Tournament.

“I just drive the golf cart,” Longoria told Conexión. “I go to each hole and talk to everyone. I’m spread really thin that day so I wouldn’t have time to play.”

Following the success of last year’s event, Eva’s Heroes is hosting the event at the Resort Course at La Cantera in San Antonio to benefit the organization’s mission of enriching the lives of those with developmental challenges. The day’s event will also include a fashion show hosted by Mario Lopez.

“San Antonio has embraced Eva’s Heroes with open arms and we are fortunate to be part of a community that cares so much,” said Longoria. “After the tremendous success of the first golf tournament, Eva’s Heroes is ready for another wonderful event in San Antonio.”

Last year’s goal was to raise $200,000 for programs and enrichment centers that will provide unique after school experiences for developmentally challenged children and young adults. And with the help of Ana Ortiz, Robert Gossett, Kyle Maclachlan, Jesse Borrego, Lupe Ontiveros, Rita Verreos, and George Lopez, that aim was easily reached. This year will feature appearances from Kyle Maclachlan and Mark Wahlberg.

Tickets for the event are available here, and cost $600 for individual golfers and $100 for spectators.

Denzel Washington Urges Kids To Be Great

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Denzel Washington, Martin Sheen, and Shaquille O’Neal have lent their childhood photos to the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America for a new advertising campaign.

The “BE GREAT” campaign launched last week, and aims to encourage volunteers to work at the clubs.

“What’s going on with children doesn’t worry me,“ said the Oscar-winning actor. “What’s going on with adults worries me. If we are not more committed to these young people … they will go as far as we take them, so the onus is on us, not on the children. We’ve created this world for them, we are the ones that fall and we are the ones that can rectify it.”

All of the stars involved in the new campaign attended Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs as children, and include Bill Cosby, Muhammad Ali, Swin Cash, Bill Clinton, Cuba Gooding Jr., Michael Jordan, Queen Latifah, Mario Lopez, John Mellencamp, Edward James Olmos, Smokey Robinson, John Singleton, Ruben Studdard, Usher, Courtney Vance, Mark Wahlberg, and Kerry Washington.

“As someone whose life was changed dramatically by the Boys & Girls Club, I can think of no better organization to lead the country in addressing the pressing needs of today’s young people,” said Washington. “I also believe that as adults, we must assume responsibility for many of the conditions that are preventing our young people from achieving their full potential.”

The full advertising campaign can be seen at the BE GREAT website.

Stars Turn Out For LA Free Clinic Anniversary

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:44:45 -0000

Written by Charles Harder

Mick Jagger, Claire Danes, Zach Braff, Martin Scorsese, Bob Saget and Don Rickles took the stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Monday night to honor Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey at a gala dinner celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Free Clinic.

Marc Anthony performed a lively three-song set backed by his powerhouse salsa band. Also in attendance were Anthony’s superstar spouse, Jennifer Lopez, actor Mark Wahlberg and former California Governor Gray Davis.

The event raised $4 million for the Clinic, which provides free health care services throughout Los Angeles County.

Look To The Stars News: Mark Wahlberg

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