Look To The Stars News: Variety - The Children's Charity

LTTS Exclusive - Miss World Finalists Talk Charity

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0000

When you are asked to attend a Press Call with the Miss World finalists at the last-minute you find the time, energy and fastest train in order to attend. I have never seen so many beautiful and inspiring women in one ballroom, and in one hour I did my best to speak with and photograph the finalists.

I spoke to Miss Wales Lucy Whitehouse. She told me that her ambition is to follow in Helen Morgan’s footsteps. Helen was a former Welsh winner. Lucy works as a nurse and she said that she wanted to encourage people to care for each other. I have to admit that I was smitten.

Miss United States Lisa-Marie KOHRS said that she was honoured to have been selected. She said that the Miss World slogan ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ summed up her feelings and that the contestants comprised of beautiful, athletic and inspirational women. Lisa finds her inspiration in the form of Julia Morley, Miss World Chairman. The brand now has franchises in over 120 countries and fundraising has topped £150 million.

One cause close to the heart of Miss United States is Agua Para La Vida. Since 1987 this organization has been helping rural Nicaraguan communities build their own drinking water and sanitation systems. As of this year, they have helped bring clean water to over 14,000 people. Lisa intends to raise awareness about this very worthy cause.

Finally our new Miss England Katrina Hodge is intending to support numerous charities including those which support British troops. As a soldier those causes are obviously close to her heart. I’m sure that she will make a good ambassador for those heroic men and women.

Once the press left the building, the contestants prepared to host the Miss World Charity Dinner in aid of Variety International Children’s Fund. The event featured an auction of the contestants’ own gifts and other spectacular prizes, including first-class flights and two incredible tickets to the Final of the FIFA World Cup 2010 in Johannesburg. A total of £250,000 was raised for the Variety International Children’s Fund.

This marks the beginning of a month-long festival, as the contestants fly to South Africa. The tour starts and finishes in Johannesburg where the Miss World 2009 Final will be held on 12/12/2009.

Richard Barker is Look To The Stars’ London-based correspondent and photographer.

Michael J Fox To Tee Off In Charity Golf Tournament

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Actor Michael J. Fox is to play in a charity golf tournament this week.

The Ciber pro-am of the Principal Charity Classic golf tournament will take place this Wednesday, May 27, at Glen Oaks County Club in West Des Moines.

Fox says that taking up golf with Parkinson’s is the “most optimistic” thing he has ever done.

“I’m committed to showing that people with challenges can lead an active life,” said Fox, whose most recent book, “Always Looking Up: The Adventures of An Incurable Optimist,” is a national best-seller and spawned a recent television special.

“Michael J. Fox is an inspiration to millions of people around the world. His optimism, generosity and dedication to helping others demonstrates the spirit of The Principal Charity Classic. We’re thrilled to have him join us at the Ciber Pro-Am,” said Jamie Alt, tournament director, The Principal Charity Classic.

Hosted by the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, event monies raised will benefit Fore Our Kids, a group of five select charities that support Iowa’s children. The five charities are Blank Children’s Hospital, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, United Way of Central Iowa, and Variety – The Children’s Charity of Iowa.

To benefit even more central Iowa kids, The Principal Charity Classic sponsors Birdies for Charity, an additional fundraising effort to supplement tournament-generated proceeds. One hundred percent of the funds generated through the Birdies for Charity program will go to participating organizations. For more information on the charities and the tournament, click here.

Bid On Sean Penn's Milk Suit For Charity

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

You can now own a piece of history from the Academy Award nominated film MILK. The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation has announced an online auction of costume designer Danny Glicker’s specially created shirt/tie/suit ensemble worn by Sean Penn in Gus Van Sant’s Milk, which is nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design.

The clothing worn by Penn during his portrayal of Harvey Milk in the film will be auctioned off to benefit both Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, in New York City.

Bidding is now open on the Foundation’s site Clothesoffourback.org and ends Saturday, February 28th.

Proceeds from the auction will be divided equally, with 50% going to Variety and 50% going to the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

The clothing off Sean Penn’s back include the shirt, suit and tie which was re-created by Glicker and his team down to the last stitch-to the mirror that worn by Mr. Milk on November 7th, 1978, the Election Night on which he celebrated the statewide defeat of Proposition 6, which sought to ban gays from teaching in California public schools and to remove known homosexuals and their supporters from their posts, and which Mr. Milk had fought so tirelessly against in the “No on 6” campaign.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth For Charity

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 09:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Journey To The Center Of The Earth is the new film from former Xena:Warrior Princess director Eric Brevig, and a special charity preview is to be held in Knoxville.

The preview will be held on June 24 at the Regal Cinemas Pinnacle Stadium 18, and will be attended by two of the film’s stars: Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson. Proceeds from the event will go to the East Tennessee chapter of Variety – The Children’s Charity.

Tickets will be available only at the Pinnacle 18 for $50 each from 9am this Friday, June 6, and the evening includes catering by Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

More information about the film can be found at www.journeymovie.com.

Charities Bask In The Kiwi Limelight

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A motorized green couch is making a charity trip through the land that brought us The Lord of the Rings – New Zealand.

Kiwi rugby league legend and all-round nice guy Stacey Jones has teamed up with one of the country’s favorite television presenters, Alison Mau, to promote Limelight, a new nationwide online business and community directory service. About one third of all advertising revenue raised from Limelight will be donated to New Zealand non-profit organizations, and the current tour aims to raise funds for Variety – The Children’s Charity and the Child Cancer Foundation.

The tour started in Kaitaia on May 15, and goes as far south as Bluff (as far south as you can possibly go in this land of Hobbits) before finishing back in Auckland on June 19. The charity trip will put over 20 towns in the limelight, celebrating ‘local legends’ and involving community celebrities and other local charities.

Limelight provides a community listings service for all non-profit organizations, totally free of charge, and Limelight Director Andrew Josephson said most local businesses want to support their communities and help charitable causes: “Limelight makes it easy for them to do this, and to market themselves at the same time. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

A nominated person from each community on the tour will be flown to Auckland at the end of the tour for a ‘legends’ celebratory dinner, and Variety – the Children’s Charity chief executive Lorraine Taylor says the Limelight concept is great as it enables businesses to support their local and national charities on an on-going basis: “Fundraising is at the core of charities and the structure of Limelight provides charities with an on-going revenue stream.”

For details about where the couch trip is heading, or to make a donation, head to www.limelight.co.nz.

A Game, A Dress, And A Brawl For Charity

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 15:29:30 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A special surprise for Look to the Stars readers

Be sure to visit Look To The Stars tomorrow, Wednesday March 12, to read our exclusive interview with Leeza Gibbons as she tells us a little about the causes that are closest to her heart.

Between a Rock and a hard place

It’s a case of a bad boy wanting to be good with singer Kid Rock. The Devil Without A Cause looks like he is turning over a new leaf, and is returning to the Waffle House restaurant where he was arrested last year – but this time it’s for charity.

The 37-year-old was charged with battery after a brawl in Duluth, Georgia, in October. But the musician has now decided to make amends by greeting fans and signing autographs at the scene of the crime as part of a fundraiser for a local homeless shelter, Nicholas House.

“For a while now, we’ve been working with Kid Rock’s management to try and turn a negative into a positive,” said Waffle House spokesperson Pat Warner. “We’re hoping to raise some money for a worthwhile charity.”

The event will occur later today, March 11.

Tennis for charity in the desert

Another event taking place today is the fourth annual K-Swiss Desert Smash Charity Tennis and Golf event being held at the La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs. The event benefits the Coachella Valley chapter of Variety – The Children’s Charity and features a special tennis match between 2008 Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic.

Other celebrities expected to attend include Bush frontman (and husband of Gwen Stefani) Gavin Rossdale, Borat star Ken Davitian, and David Spade.

Theron shares her threads for charity

Another star in the mood for giving is the stunning Charlize Theron, who is auctioning off the first red carpet gown she was ever given to wear by a designer.

No, the dress isn’t made from red carpet – it’s actually a one-of-a-kind silk dress designed exclusively for the actress’ debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000 by Narciso Rodriguez.

All of the proceeds from the auction, which can be accessed through Theron’s eBay page, will go to the Charlize Theron African Outreach Project, a mobile clinic that serves more than 3000 high school students in Theron’s home country of South Africa. The project was launched in 2007 in association with the Entertainment Industry Foundation to create a safer, healthier, and better life for families in South Africa, especially those touched by the effect of HIV/AIDS.

The auction runs until March 13, and the bids have already gone over $1,000.

Other auctions running on eBay Giving Works right now include the chance to have lunch with JAG and Bruce Almighty star Catherine Bell in LA. The auction runs until March 17, and proceeds go to Communities in Schools, nation’s largest dropout prevention organization. The original Hannah Montana_, Miley Ray Cyrus, is also holding an auctionW0QQitemZ260217660695QQihZ016QQcategoryZ61QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QqcmdZViewItem right now. The young star is selling an autographed chair, with proceeds to go to Variety – The Children’s Charity.

Leona Lewis – a star on the rise

Another star with an interest in South Africa at the moment is singer Leona Lewis. The 22-year-old X Factor winner is currently enjoying a meteoric rise to fame, with her album Spirit holding the record for the fastest selling debut album ever released in the UK. And now the young star has witnessed the extent of the AIDS pandemic during a recent trip to South Africa.

Lewis has just returned from a 3-day trip to Johannesburg with Sport Relief, an initiative of Comic Relief, in which she raised awareness of the plight of AIDS orphans and sufferers. But it was all almost too much for the singer, who describes in her diary how she broke down while visiting some of the worst cases.

“Some of the horrors I have seen will never leave me,” she said. “It’s amazing to see the great work that Sport Relief does firsthand and the difference they make, their projects and centres keep communities going and give them something to be proud and positive about.”

In response to her trip, Lewis has just announced that the stunning purple gown she wore for her performance at last month’s Brit Awards will be auctioned on eBay, with all proceeds going to Sport Relief.

“It’s been a great pleasure for me to work with Leona Lewis right from the start,” said Roberto Cavalli, who designed the dress. “She has an incredible voice, beautiful eyes, and a fresh and positive attitude. I’m happy that a dress I have created for her for an important occasion is now being auctioned for a charity. It’s a sign of her great generosity and I’m proud that the name Roberto Cavalli is linked to it.”

As if all of that is not enough, the singer is also donating the proceeds from her new double A-side single, Footprints In The Sand/Better In Time, to the charity.

Charity Gifts For Valentine's Day

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:18:47 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it is time to think about loving gifts that rise above the standard red roses. And there are a number of products available this month that not only tell that special person how much you care, but also help raise money for those who are less fortunate. Shoes, dresses, T-shirts, and even a second-hand swimsuit are on offer to help Cupid’s arrow hit its mark.

Actress Keira Knightley’s latest movie, Atonement, has recently received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and now fans have the chance to buy a very special part of the production. The dazzling green dress Knightley wore in the emotionally charged romantic scenes opposite James McAvoy is being auctioned by the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to benefit Variety – The Children’s Charity.

The dress is one of several made for the scene, and was designed by Jacqueline Durran, who has been nominated for a Costume Design Academy Award for her work on the film. The auction runs from February 1 until March 1 at www.clothesoffourback.org, and bids have already reached $3,000.

Clothes Off Our Back is also selling a series of outfits donated by some of Hollywood’s most beautiful woman. The Little Black Dress Auction runs until March 13, and features dresses from the closets of Julianne Moore, Felicity Huffman, Mena Suvari, Gabrielle Union, and Jaime Pressley. Beneficiaries include Second Harvest, The Art of Elysium, World Education, and autism research.

If it is shoes you are after, look no further than the Spirit of Women Health Network’s Celebrity Red Shoe Auction. The auction is being run on eBay from February 5-14, and features footwear autographed by celebrities such as Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Rachael Ray, LeAnn Rimes, Alanis Morissette, and Dancing With The Stars’ Carrie Ann Inaba.

“This February, we hope to encourage women to take action for their heart health by dancing and exercising, discussing their health with their physicians, and helping to support women’s heart health research and education,” said Josh Davis, President of the Spirit of Women Health Network.

The auction is part of the Red Shoe Initiative, a national health education and action campaign that aims to encourage women to be aware of their heart health. As with past shoe auctions, proceeds will benefit several charities, including the National Stroke Association and the Peripheral Arterial Disease Coalition.

The auction will also precede Spirit of Women’s Day of Dance, an event that will involve dance and health screenings around the US on February 23.

Another gift idea this Valentine’s Day is the new charity T-shirt from designer Marc Jacobs – featuring a naked Victoria Beckham.

The T-shirt has been designed to raise awareness of the Interdisciplinary Melanoma Cooperative Group, an initiative with aspirations almost as big as their name. The program was established by Jacobs’ business partner, Robert Duffy, to raise consciousness of one of the most common types of cancer in the world – over 160,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year, with around 48,000 deaths.

“Since we moved to California, I have realized how important it is to practice safe sun for myself, and to keep my three boys skin well protected as well,” said Beckham. “Skin cancer is a huge problem, and I really wanted to help raise awareness by taking part in Marc’s initiative.”

The T-shirts are available at Marc Jacobs’ stores in America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia for $35, and even Victoria’s husband David has been seen sporting one recently, at the opening of the David Beckham World of Sport in Brazil.

The Victoria Beckham line of T-shirts follows a similar series designed by Marc Jacobs last year, featuring Heidi Klum, Julianne Moore, and Naomi Campbell, which raised $60,000.

Finally this month, if you are looking for something really special to give your loved one this Valentine’s Day, why not buy Nicole Kidman’s old swimsuit – it is to be auctioned in Sweden to raise funds for poor families in India.

The story behind the swimsuit is long and twisty. Kidman visited Sweden six years ago to film Dogville, and hired a private pool while there. However, she left her black one-piece swimming costume in the changing rooms when she went home. Attempts to return it failed, and it was donated to a cancer charity, where it raised $4,700 at auction. It was later donated to the Salvation Army, where it was auctioned for a further $865.

A new auction will raise funds for Erikshjalpen, a charity that aims to buy cows in India with money raised.

The swimsuit is framed and is expected to raise $1,500.

Alba, Cook Raise $260K for Variety

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:06:35 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

A Knoxville screening of “Good Luck Chuck” has benefitted the children’s charity Variety of Eastern Tennessee, thanks to the presence of Jessica Alba and Dane Cook. Fans paid $75 to attend the screening and see the actors, raising a total of $260,000 to help disabled children.

The Variety charity screenings began in 2003 with “Radio” and Cuba Gooding Jr., and “Walking Tall” raised funds the following year. 2005 saw “The Dukes of Hazzard” with Jessica Simpson, Seann William Scott and Knoxville native Johnny Knoxville, and last year’s benefit featured “Talladega Nights” with Will Ferrell. Altogether, nearly $1 million has been raised by the screenings.

The funds are used to purchase mobility equipment for children with physical disabilities and are also shared with other children’s agencies such as Second Harvest, Tennessee School for the Deaf and the Empty Stocking Fund.

Look To The Stars News: Variety - The Children's Charity

LTTS Exclusive - Miss World Finalists Talk Charity

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