Look To The Stars News: Mia Hamm

Tony Hawk Invites P Diddy To Stand Up For Skateparks

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Skateboarder Tony Hawk is to hold a family festival in Las Vegas that features music, action sports, and a unique auction to benefit at-risk youth.

The Las Vegas Strip has seen some incredible productions over the years, but Saturday, November 7 will mark the first time the world of action-sports descends upon the Wynn Las Vegas resort for a day of fun and festivities for the whole family, all to benefit an important cause.

Join Tony, fellow Benefit Committee members Sean Diddy Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dana White, Jr., Ron Burkle, Michael Eisner, Andrew Pascal, Elaine Wynn, Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III, Robin Greenspun, Travis Barker, and Jeff Fine, and their celebrity guests for an exclusive afternoon of fun, games, music, skateboarding, and BMX, while helping the Tony Hawk Foundation bring free, quality public skateparks to youth in low-income communities across the U.S.

Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks is an outdoor action-sports carnival, featuring a Vert Demo with top skateboarding and BMX pros, including Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Jamie Bestwick, Andy Macdonald, Simon Tabron, Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins, Dennis McCoy, and Kevin Staab riding on Hawk’s personal ramp, plus a special musical performance by Rancid.

Now in its sixth year, Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks raises critical funds to support the Tony Hawk Foundation’s mission to bring high-quality, free public skateparks to youth in low-income communities across the U.S. A special Pledge Drive at the event will also raise funds to help rebuild Freedom Skatepark, which serves at-risk youth in Las Vegas. Through live and silent auctions, Guests will have the opportunity to support the Tony Hawk Foundation and win some incredible items and experiences:

DUB Edition Customized Tony Hawk 2010 Dodge Challenger RT  This Reigning King of the asphalt jungle is a one-of-a-kind custom ride, including 372 Horse Power 5.7-liter HEMI® V8 engine, 22" Custom TIS Luxury Wheels with Pirelli Tires, Tony Hawk detailing (including Logo Embroidery on Headrest), SAVV DVD Player with two 7" monitors, Rockford Fosgate 10"subwoofer box with 200-watt amp, and more!
Be A Secret Skater in the next Activision Tony Hawk Video Game The winning bidder will get a full-body scan and have a character created in his or her likeness to appear in the next Activision Tony Hawk game.
Roadie For A Day with Miley Cyrus for (4) You and three others will have the exclusive chance to be backstage to see how a superstar concert works. Spend the day with the crew bringing Miley’s show to life and enjoy the show from the side of the stage—plus a special meet and greet with Miley!
JetBlue Airways Fly Anywhere Tickets between any nonstop destinations Enjoy (2) travel letters good for roundtrip travel on JetBlue Airways, from any city to any nonstop city.
Taunovo Bay 5-Star Resort And Spa 4-Bedroom Beachfront Grand Villa, Fiji Enjoy seven-nights in a 4-bedroom beachfront Grand Villa for up to (8) adults and (4) children, including river rafting, waterfalls, zip lining, sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, and much more in this luxurious, private resort.
The Ultimate Jason Taylor Experience Your Experience will include four (4) tickets to a Miami Dolphins home game of your choice, four (4) pre-game field passes that allow you access to the sideline, an autographed football, a personal tour of the Miami Dolphins training facility, plus a 30-minute training-film session with Jason Taylor!
11,000-Square-Foot Beachfront Punta Mita, Mexico Luxury 5-Bedroom Villa Mita resort development at the north shore of Bahia de Banderas, 40 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. Includes villa staff, houseman, maid, cook and concierge service.
Soccer Clinic with U.S. Women’s Soccer Icon Mia Hamm for (10) Ten (10) youths will experience a soccer clinic with one of the worlds greatest, Mia Hamm, who led the U.S. to gold medals in the Olympics and victory in the World Cup. Includes autographed Nike soccer balls for each participant. Clinic to take place in Los Angeles.

Several other unique items and experiences will also be offered, including a 7-Time Tour De France Champion Lance Armstrong Autographed Trek Bike, Tony Hawk Signature Series Autographed Dynacraft BMX Bike, signed skateboards from Tony Hawk, Shaun White, Ryan Sheckler, Paul Rodriguez, and others, plus other signed memorabilia, dining and vacation packages, and items that would make excellent Holiday gifts.

Tickets and packages for Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks are still available. Order Tickets here or contact C.C. Hafner at 760-477-2479 or cc@tonyhawkfoundation.org.

If you aren’t able to attend Tony Hawk: RIDE Presents Stand Up For Skateparks but would like to support the creation of a free public skatepark in a low-income neighborhood in Las Vegas, you can text the word RIDE to 90999 to make a $5 donation to the Tony Hawk Foundation*. Through Friday, November 6, all text donations will be dedicated to the rebuilding of Freedom Skatepark in Las Vegas.

For more info about the event, go to the official website.

Charlize Theron Kisses For Charity Cash

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE, the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, hosted their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, Jeremy Piven, Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, David Arquette, Mia Hamm, Nomar Garciaparra, Laila Ali and more helped raise funds and awareness for charitable causes.

The evening featured keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol. Additional entertainment included performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, Spencer Day, the local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer who wrote his own song “It’s For the Kids” in honor of the event. ONEXONE also welcomed back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron, on behalf of the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, and 2-time World Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Mia Hamm also announced the latest initiative “Home Field Advantage” in partnership with ONEXONE and Academy Award-winner Matt Damon which will bring soccer fields and clean water to the children of South Africa by 2010. The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project and the ONEXONE Foundation will work together on this initiative to bolster impoverished rural South African communities with plans to break ground by the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The highlight of the evening came during the live auction when Charlize Theron helped auction off a two-week trip to South Africa for the World Cup plus a kiss from her for $140,000. Jeremy Piven also jumped onstage during the live auction and encouraged two guests to bid $140,000 each for a walk-on roll on the hit HBO show “Entourage” for a total of $280,000.

“The night was a huge success and we’d like to thank the generous people of San Francisco for their continued support,” said Marc Joubert, President of ONEXONE U.S.

The ONEXONE event in San Francisco focuses not only on raising funds and awareness for the issues, but also on producing a top-notch show that entertains and educates the audience at the same time. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler, and has raised more than $9 million for children around the world since that time.

ONEXONE Prepares For Star-Studded Fundraiser

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE, a charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally, will host the 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

Academy Award-winner Matt Damon will be the ambassador for the evening, which features keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America and Master of Ceremonies Jay Bilas. The annual fundraiser will announce details surrounding the organization’s latest program in partnership with ONEXONE Ambassadors Matt Damon and Mia Hamm, and Academy-Award winner Charlize Theron and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project.

The evening will include a special headline performance by Snow Patrol, along with musical performances by Josh Groban, Carlos Santana, local San Francisco jazz musician Spencer Day and 8-year old pianist and composer Ethan Bortnick, along with other special guests.

ONEXONE is a unique umbrella organization that partners with talented and dedicated NGOs to implement specific programs which align with its mission statement – the alleviation of suffering of children locally and globally – and important programs targeted to health, education, self-esteem and dignity. Through its ongoing campaigns, the ONEXONE foundation is committed to supporting, preserving and improving the lives of children at home and around the world. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler.

Matt Damon Announces 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser In San Francisco

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

ONEXONE – the charitable organization committed to fighting health issues and preserving the lives of children locally and globally – along with Academy Award-winner Matt Damon, will host their 2nd Annual ONEXONE Fundraiser at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA on Thursday, October 22.

The evening will feature keynote speaker Vicki Escarra, CEO of Feeding America, along with a special headline performance from Snow Patrol, who is coming off their highly successful solo tour in the U.S. and recent sold-out tour with U2. Additional speakers and entertainment include Carlos Santana on behalf of The Milagro Foundation, Spencer Day, a local jazz vocalist from San Francisco, and Ethan Bortnick, the 8-year old pianist and composer. ONEXONE will also welcome back Jay Bilas for his second year as Master of Ceremonies.

In addition, the annual fundraiser will announce details surrounding the organizations latest program in partnership with ONEXONE Ambassadors Matt Damon and Mia Hamm, and Academy-Award winner Charlize Theron and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project. The partnership between ONEXONE and the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project pools their resources and combines their dedications in a new and unique charitable initiative that will be unveiled at the October 22 fete.

“We feel lucky to be able to bring this event back to San Francisco after such a successful launch last year,” said Marc Joubert, President of ONEXONE U.S. “It’s a great city and the people of San Francisco are so generous, they genuinely care about the issues and are committed to helping make a difference. We’re also excited to come back and unveil a brand new initiative that will make this year’s event even bigger and better than last year’s.”

The ONEXONE event in San Francisco focuses not only on raising funds and awareness for the issues, but also on producing a top-notch show that entertains and educates the audience at the same time. Last year’s inaugural event to celebrate the launch of their U.S. operation, and the international charity’s first American home, did just that while raising more than $1 million for the organization. ONEXONE was founded in 2005 by Diesel Canada President, Joelle Berdugo Adler, and has raised more than $7 million for children around the world since that time.

For more information on ONEXONE please visit www.onexone.org.

LTTS Exclusive: The Second Annual Celebrity Soccer Challenge

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Look To The Stars reporter Delinda Lombardo attended Mia Hamm’s massive celebrity soccer game during the weekend and caught up with some of the stars that took part.

The second annual Celebrity Soccer Challenge at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles was a big success as Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra were joined by a slew of celebrity friends who helped raise nearly $200,000 for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation.

The event also encouraged fans in attendance to register for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, a cause close Mia Hamm’s heart after she lost brother Garrett to bone marrow disease.

“My foundation started about 1999 and was motivated from my relationship with my brother who passed away in 1997 after complications from a bone-marrow transplant,” she said prior to the game. “For us, we shared a love of sport and I also saw first hand what my parents and his parents had to go through, not just financially, but struggling to find a bone-marrow match, so [the proceeds from] my foundation go to help families find bone-marrow transplants and also to encourage and empower young female athletes.”

During halftime, patients suffering from leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening diseases were introduced for the first time to their bone marrow donors.

“The more the world becomes a melting pot, the more important it is for people to be registered, it’s a gift that you can continue to give,” Hamm said. “My brother was adopted, he was a minority and that was one of the big struggles. Nomar [her husband] is Mexican and that’s another message we’re trying to get out there, we’re trying to get more minorities entered into the bank. Last years game we almost got 200 people and a match was found for someone who registered at the event, so it’s so important to keep spreading the importance and raising money.”

While Nomar Garciaparra earned bragging rights for scoring in overtime to give his team, Nomar United, an 8-7 win over Hamm’s team, FC Mia, he never lost sight of what the event was really about. “We’re here to have fun,” Garciaparra said, “but the biggest thing is raise money for the children’s hospital and to get people typed and registered for the bone marrow bank. To be able to save a life is priceless.”

Both celebrities and athletes took the field to help Mia’s cause – including “Desperate Housewives” actress Andrea Bowen, C. Thomas Howell, Josh Hutcherson, Mark Consuelos, Jimmy Jean-Louis of NBC’s “Heroes,” Angus Jones of CBS’s “Two and a Half Men,” “Lipstick Jungle/Las Vegas” actor James Lesure, Josh Henderson of the CW’s “90210,” Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, skateboarders Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler, and several of Hamm’s teammates from the U.S. National Team including Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Tisha Hoch and Abby Wambach. Other current and former male soccer players who participated included Cobi Jones, Chris Seitz, Matt Reis, Brian Dunseth and Alexi Lalas.

Skateboarding sensation and ‘Life of Ryan’ star Ryan Sheckler was a definite crowd pleaser as he participated in the event for the first time. “This is actually the first time I’ve ever played soccer,” he told me. “It feels great, it’s going to be a great day. Hopefully I make a goal, my goal is to make a goal today, just one and I’ll go home happy.”

Actor Mark Consuelos was also playing soccer for the first time: “I doubt I’ll score any goals. But it’s for a great cause so I’m really excited to be here.”

One of the youngest players and first time participant, actress Andrea Bowen, took a few minutes to speak with us before signing autographs for the throngs of young fans lining up to meet her. “This is my first game and I’m pretty excited that I get to play with all these people,” she said, Sharpie in hand. “They’re definitely going to have to pull extra weight because I really don’t know what I’m doing but it should be fun and its all for a really good cause.”

Tony Hawk: “This is my second time playing soccer, if you get one goal out of me you’ll be lucky.”

‘Heroes’ actor Jimmy Jean-Louis couldn’t hide his excitement for the game. “It is a beautiful day and we are going to have a great time today,” he told me prior to kick-off.

As a regular player for Los Angeles celebrity-soccer team Hollywood United, Jean-Louis is no stranger to using celebrity to raise awareness.

“I’ve been busy doing a lot of charity work. I started my own organization Hollywood Unites for Haiti, " he explained, “What I’ve been doing is collecting used (soccer) equipment and going to Haiti to give it to them because they really need this-that’s really how the whole idea of Hollywood Unites for Haiti started,” he smiled, “About a month ago some of us from Hollywood were invited to Haiti – including [”Josh Brolin":http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/1271-josh-brolin] and Diane Lane. That was for the opening of a hospital for handicapped, so that was nice and I plan to bring more awareness to Haiti because they really need help."

Andre Agassi Talks About Athletes For Hope

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former tennis great Andre Agassi has talked about his charitable efforts and his work with Athletes For Hope is a recent interview with CNBC.

Athletes For Hope is an organization that was established in 2006 to educate, encourage and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and charitable causes, while at the same time increasing public awareness of those efforts, and inspiring others to do the same. Agassi launched the initiative with co-founders Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken, Jr to pass his passion for philanthropy to others.

“We’ve signed up about 500 athletes in about a year’s time,” Agassi told CNBC. "Myself, Lance and Mia (Hamm) have been reaching out and we just got a bunch of the Portland TrailBlazers who want to be a part of it. We’re just trying to build this thing up as big as we can.

“I feel like it’s a daily effort to get it right and to make sure what I do in the next 20 years trumps the last 20 years. I keep pushing for the things I believe in. I used tennis as a vehicle and I got attracted to education because I saw how it could change the lives of children.”

During the interview, Agassi also talked about how difficult it is to keep a charity going, especially given the current recession.

“It’s difficult. If you want to be successful in any business, you have to put a lot of time into it. And an athlete’s time is a rare commodity. If you want a charity to work, it has to be a full-time commitment and then some. That’s why Athletes For Hope is big because it’s not only for people who don’t have the wherewithal to build their own foundation but will also serve as a great way for athletes to learn the process and what they should value. They are now surrounded by an army of us.”

The full interview can be read here.

Celebrities To Play In Charity Soccer Match

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former US soccer player/World Cup champion Mia Hamm and husband Nomar Garciaparra are once again set to host their annual charity soccer match benefiting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation.

The event will be held on Saturday, January 17, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Proceeds from the event benefit bone marrow transplant patients and their families.

Celebrities expected to participate in the match include skateboarding legends Tony Hawk and Ryan Sheckler, U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh, NFL great Marcus Allen, actors Zachary Levi and Jimmy Jean Louis, Weezer singer Rivers Cuomo, Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, Anthony Lapaglia, Andrea Bowen, Chris Richardson, Josh Hutchenson, Misty May-Treanor, current and former members of the U.S. men’s and women’s national soccer team, and many more.

Last year’s event raised more than $150,000 for charity, and the organizers are hoping to top that this year.

“Raising money is wonderful,” said Garciaparra. “But to give somebody a chance to save a life, you can’t put a price on that. It was huge. And it speaks volumes about what we can do. We have a booth set up where people can be typed for bone marrow match, and we had 200 people register last year and we actually found an unrelated match.”

General admission tickets for the Celebrity Soccer Challenge are $20 and are on sale through Ticketmaster or directly through the Home Depot Center Box Office.

Tony Hawk Raises $1 Million For Skateparks

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Pro skateboarder Tony Hawk raised over $1 million for charity on Sunday, November 9, at the 5th annual Acitivision Presents Stand Up for Skateparks event in Beverly Hills.

But Hawk wasn’t alone in his effort – he was joined by a number of his celebrity friends, including Shaun White, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis, David Spade, Perry Ferrell, Chris "Big Black" Boykin, Kathy Ireland, Bam Margera and BMX legend Mat Hoffman, as well as event benefit committee members Jamie Lee Curtis and Mia Hamm. The one-day action-sports extravaganza included games, activities, a special acoustic performance by Social Distortion, and a Vert Demo on Hawk’s personal ramp.

Money from the event will go to the Tony Hawk Foundation and its mission to bring free, quality skateparks to low-income communities across the United States.

Stand Up For Skateparks With Tony Hawk

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk has come a long way since he first landed the ‘900’- a spine-tingling stunt that he nailed during the 1999 X Games. Since then, the man has become an empire unto himself – he’s got everything from an autobiography, a clothing line, a skateboard company, a film company, and even a roller coaster named after him.

But Hawk never lost sight of what’s important and, in 2002, he established the Tony Hawk Foundation to assist low-income communities create well-designed skateboard parks. In four years, the Foundation gave away over a million dollars in grants and assistance.

Aside from being one of the founding members of Athletes For Hope, Hawk has some pretty impressive charity work under his belt. So we shouldn’t be surprised that he – along with Lance Armstrong, Rob Dyrdek, Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mia Hamm, Dana White, Jr., Jon Favreau, Mat Hoffman, Shaun White, Robert Kotick, Bob McKnight, Scott Greenstein, and Ron Burkle – has issued an invitation to the 5th Annual Tony Hawk’s Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit.

Join Tony Hawk and his celebrity friends as they raise money for his foundation via silent/live auctions set among live music, interactive games and a vert skateboard and BMX demo.

The Tony Hawk’s Stand Up for Skateparks Benefit for the Tony Hawk Foundation will be held Sunday, November 9, 2008, from 12 – 4 PM at Green Acres in Beverly Hills, California.

More info can be found at the Tony Hawk Foundation website.

Warrick Dunn To Host Fundraiser Tonight

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

The Sixth Annual Warrick Dunn Foundation Gala will be held tonight, October 13, in Atlanta.

American football legend Warrick Dunn will be joined by former and current NFL teammates to raise money for his charity – which he established after his mother was shot to death in 1993 – to help struggling single parents buy their own homes.

“Despite Warrick’s move from the Atlanta Falcons to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers there is still a need for the Foundation’s assistance in Georgia,” said Natalie Boe, Warrick Dunn Foundation Executive Director. “We look forward to continuing our support of the greater Atlanta area.”

The evening will include live musical performances, a live and silent auction (including a Super Bowl XLIII package), Macy’s Fashion Extravaganza and much more.

Earlier this year, Dunn joined a host of professional athletes – such as Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Jeff Gordon, Mia Hamm, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning, and Cal Ripken Jr. – to found Athletes For Hope, a charitable organization which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

More information about the Gala can be found at the Athletes For Hope website.

Sports Stars To Raise Money To Cure Paralysis

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Sports luminaries and philanthropy icons will be recognized when they gather at the 23rd Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner on Monday, September 22, at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Bob Costas has been named the Master of Ceremonies for the event which will benefit the Buoniconti Fund To Cure Paralysis, a nonprofit organization that serves as the national fundraising arm of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis – the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center.

This spectacular annual event is expected to sell out to over 1,300 guests and raise millions of dollars for spinal cord injury research. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. with a cocktail reception and silent auction, followed by dinner, which will include a live auction of one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia and other unique items.

“Each year we are honored by the presence of the most elite athletes in sports,” says Nick Buoniconti, founder of The Buoniconti Fund and defensive captain of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. “This year’s group of honorees represent such a high caliber of sports, we are truly thrilled that they will be joining us for yet another spectacular event. We have made significant steps this year towards finding a cure for spinal cord injuries. That’s why we keep doing this.”

The 2008 Great Sports Legends that will be honored at the event and are expected to attend are: Andre Agassi – former world-ranked #1 professional tennis star, Jerry Rice – named All-Pro 10 times in his 20 NFL seasons, Scottie Pippen – seven-time NBA All Star, Joe Gibbs – Hall of Fame NFL coach and NASCAR Championship team owner, Helio Castroneves – winner of the Indianapolis 500 in both 2001 and 2002, Richard “Goose” Gossage – former New York Yankees pitcher, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini – World Boxing Association lightweight champion for two years in the 1980s, Angelo Dundee – boxing cornerman who has worked with 15 world boxing champions, and Gabrielle Reece – American professional volleyball player, sports presenter and former fashion model.

Over the past two decades, the Great Sports Legends Dinner has honored 337 of the world’s greatest athletes and individuals. They are recognized for their contributions to the world of sports and acknowledged for their commitment to high ethical standards, to their community, worthy causes and achievements as positive role models. Their participation has helped raise more than $40 million for The Miami Project’s spinal cord injury research programs. Former honorees include Magic Johnson, John Elway, Mark Messier, Gary Player, Lance Armstrong, Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Jack Nicklaus, Gloria Estefan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky, Patrick Ewing, Walter Cronkite, Mia Hamm, Dan Marino, and Joe DiMaggio.

In 1985, Barth A. Green, MD, and NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Nick Buoniconti helped found The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after Nick’s son, Marc, sustained a spinal cord injury during a college football game. Today, The Miami Project is the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center, housed in the Lois Pope LIFE Center, a Center of Excellence at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project’s international team of more than 200 scientists, researchers and clinicians take innovative approaches to the challenge of spinal cord injury. Committed to finding a cure for paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury and to seeing millions worldwide walk again, the Buoniconti family established The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis in 1992, a non-profit organization devoted to assisting The Miami Project achieve its national and international goals.

Tickets start at $850 per person. Sponsorships and opportunities to sit with Legends are available. Tables and tickets can be purchased by phone at (305) 243-4656, (212) 245-6570 or online at http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/x1415.xml.

Ryan Sheckler Hosts Celeb-Studded Charity Golf Tourney

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Jennifer Beckmann

X Games champion, reality star and budding philanthropist Ryan Sheckler will take to the links with 120 others to raise money for five charities.

The 18-year-old skateboarding phenomenon will host his first celebrity golf tournament – the Ryan Sheckler X Games Celebrity Skins Classic – on July 29 at the renowned Trump National Golf Course in Palos Verdes, CA. Many celebrities and professional athletes will participate, including Jerry O’Connell, Anthony Anderson, Audrina Patridge, Kendra Wilkinson, Dean Cain, Kevin Federline, Brody Jenner, Verne Troyer, Mia Hamm, Vicki Hurst, Bode Miller, Baron Davis, Carey Hart, Travis Pastrana, and Dave Mirra.

The tournament aims to further the mission of the Sheckler Foundation and raise funds for four additional charities: the Athlete Recovery Fund, which provides financial support to seriously injured BMX, FMX, and skateboard athletes; Boarding for Breast Cancer, a youth-focused awareness organization; Road 2 Recovery, which provides financial assistance and emotional support for motocross athletes coping with career-ending injuries; and Wings for Life, a spinal cord research foundation.

Says Sheckler, “I’ve always had a desire to help the kids who support me in my career and may not have had the same opportunities that I did. I have reached a point where I have the ability to give back, and I’m honored to have such a great response for this tournament from my professional colleagues and friends.”

The event will include a $10,000 hole-in-one putting contest and an 18-hole skins tournament, where the winner of each hole will receive $10,000 for the charity of his or her choice. Additional funds will be raised with a silent auction at the event’s dinner reception.

Ryan Sheckler became a professional skateboarder at 13, and has won numerous gold medals at competitions including the Gravity Games and X Games. Ryan also has his own clothing line and stars in “Life of Ryan,” a reality show aired on MTV.

The Sheckler Foundation was created in 2008 as an avenue for Ryan and his family to give back to the community that has supported Ryan’s athletic career. The Foundation supports medical research to cure childhood disease; enrichment programs for children in low income areas; and action sports athletes who are injured on the job. In April 2008, Sheckler donated his own Range Rover to the top fundraiser for the Children’s Cancer Research Fund 5K Run/Walk.

For more information on the Sheckler Foundation or to register for the tournament, please visit their website.

Celebrity Soccer Match Scores For Charities

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:24:53 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

Former US soccer player/World Cup champion Mia Hamm and her husband, Major League Baseball player Nomar Garciaparra, have rallied some of their closest celebrity friends for a charity soccer match benefiting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Mia Hamm Foundation.

Nearly 6,000 fans attended the event at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, on January 26 to witness celebrities play the “beautiful game” while raising awareness about bone marrow disease. Fittingly enough, it was Mia Hamm who scored the first goal for her team, while Garciaparra coached his team from the sidelines, unable to play due to Major League Baseball restrictions.

“No one else has an event like this, where they get to go out and play soccer,” said Garciaparra.

The Celebrity Soccer Challenge, which aims to be an annual event, was inspired by the loss of Hamm’s brother.

“I understand the pain of bone marrow disease first hand,” explains Hamm on her website. “In 1997, my brother Garrett passed away from complications related to aplastic anemia. Through an all-star exhibition soccer match, we are able to raise awareness and funds for bone marrow disease research, and to support families through the marrow transplant process. It was clearly my most satisfying moment away from the field.”

Through her foundation, Mia Hamm has brought her competitive spirit to the field and beyond in support of raising funds and awareness for bone marrow transplant patients.

“You change a family’s life — not just the recipient’s, but the entire family’s life – forever,” she said. “You change that despair and struggle they’ve had, and give them an opportunity for hope.”

During halftime, Hamm appealed to the audience to get tested for the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, while recipients of transplants were also on hand to tell their stories.

“If I got just one more person signed up, that’s one more opportunity that someone out there has,” she said.

Hamm inspired at least one participant to take action – Paul Caliguri, who was playing on team Nomar United.
“During halftime, I heard the stories and I was so moved,” said Caliguri. “I’m registered now. It’s fantastic. I ran up the stairs and came back before the end of the game.”

Team Mia FC’s roster included such celebrities as retired Baseball pro Mike Lieberthal, New England Revolution players Taylor Twellman & Pat Noonan, Chris Albright of the U.S. Men’s Soccer team, actor Milo Ventimiglia, comedians Andy Samberg and Seth Myers of Saturday Night Live fame, soccer hero Eric Wynalda, actor Eric Braeden, actress Elizabeth Shue, and Ty Pennington.

“I’m friends with Mia, because she was on the show with us one time,” said Pennington, host of ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’. “Shining a light on the bone marrow thing is really cool. I lost a cousin to it, but another friend of mine fought it and won. There really is hope out there. A cotton swab [the testing method for the registry often is a cheek cell sample] goes a long way.”

Team Nomar United included skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, musician Rivers Cuomo, US soccer player Landon Donovan, actress Bianca Kajlich, Ted Colleti, actor/comedian Carlos Mencia, Dodgers VP Kim Ng, Peter Vagenas of the LA Galaxy, and actor/activist Anthony LaPaglia.

The light-hearted game, which was played with lax rules, even gave some celebrities a chance to play against their own heros: “I was pretty stoked to play with Tony Hawk,” said Paul Caliguri, a member of Team Normar United. “I was trying to feed him the ball so he could score, but maybe he needed a skateboard to do that.”

More praise came from Rivers Cuomo of the band Weezer, who knocked in Nomar United’s first goal: “It was a dream come true,” Cuomo said. “Passing with Landon Donovan and going against Mia Hamm — it’s just unreal. I was terrified, but I was so excited that the excitement overcame the terror.”

And perhaps the highest praise came from Los Angeles Galaxy’s general manager Alexi Lalas: “As far as I’m concerned, Mia Hamm in the soccer community is royalty – so when the queen calls, you go.”

Donations from the Celebrity Soccer Challenge will benefit bone marrow transplant patients and their families. All proceeds from the event will benefit funds set up at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Star Athletes Create Charity Team

Wed, 09 May 2007 14:02:29 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Athletes work hard to be the best at what they do, and now some of the top sports celebrities have joined their efforts to form a team with a common goal of philanthropy. The prize they hope to win is a better future for the world.

The founding members of Athletes For Hope are already familiar with charity work, and hope to pass their passion for helping others on to the future generation of sports stars.

“Combined, our 12 Founding Athletes have raised more than $500 million for charitable and health-related causes, have built schools, community centers, hospitals, parks, and stadiums, while touching countless lives in ways that can’t be calculated,” said Ivan Blumberg, CEO of Athlete’s for Hope.

Andre Agassi, Mia Hamm and Lance Armstrong originally put the idea together, and were soon joined by Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn, Jeff Gordon, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, Alonzo Mourning and Cal Ripken, Jr. The have created a clearing house where young athletes will be teamed up with exsisting charities, or helped to create charities of their own.

They hope that involving the athletes will also inspire the public to get involved in philanthropy.

“We’ve helped each other through our foundations,” tennis star Agassi said. “We realized as much as we can effect (change) individually, you can effect more profoundly collectively. It’s an exponential message.”

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