Look To The Stars News: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Gloria Estefan To Receive Humanitarian Honor

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Grammy winner Gloria Estefan will be honored as the 2008 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for her philanthropic, professional and cultural accomplishments.

The 50-year-old pop star will receive the honor at a star-studded concert and tribute dinner on November 12 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, with a portion of the proceeds from the evening’s tribute dinner going to the Gloria Estefan Foundation and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“The Latin Recording Academy and its Board of Trustees are elated to recognize Gloria Estefan as an extraordinary Latina woman, humanitarian and talented musician who has made a global impact on music and culture,” said Latin Recording Academy President Gabriel Abaroa. “She is one of Latin music’s most enduring icons, and we are privileged to be honoring such a dedicated, generous, and gifted lady.”

Estefan – who will play concerts in October benefiting schools – established the Gloria Estefan Foundation to promote good health, education and cultural development. One of the main benefactors of the Foundation is the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis – the leading research center for spinal cord injuries. She also served as chairwoman for a campaign that raised more than $40 million to build the Lois Pope Life Center neurological research facility.

Keith Urban Thinks You Would Look Good In His Old Shirt

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Kiwi-born country singer Keith Urban has launched a special new charity auction inspired by his latest hit, You Look Good in my Old T-Shirt.

The country star – who recently became a father for the first time with his wife, Nicole Kidman – has convinced a wide cross-section of his musical friends to join him in donating previously worn T-Shirts to the internet sale to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Stars to take up his cause include Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Josh Turner, Keith Anderson, Ronnie Milsap, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, Trace Adkins, Faith Hill, Darryl Worley and members of Little Big Town.

“St. Jude is a charity that is very near and dear to my heart,” said Urban. “Our fans have always graciously offered their support in past fund-raisers we have done for St. Jude, so I think this auction will be a great success.”

The auction, which runs for 2 weeks, can be accessed through www.keithurbanauction.com.

Kellie Pickler Picks A Tune For The AARP

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Country singer Kellie Pickler is well known for her support of charities such as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the USO, but lately she has had the elderly on her mind, and has been devoting her time and money to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).

“I love working with different charities, but the big foundations and organizations already get so much exposure and so much attention,” Pickler told CMT recently. “I wanted to bring awareness to a smaller charity that might not have gotten that kind of attention had I not helped them. The AARP is amazing, and I can really relate to it. My grandparents raised me, so I know the struggles that they have to go through financially and legally and all that.”

And the 19-year-old singer has certainly been putting her money where her mouth is – she donated $25,000 of prize money from her appearance on Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader to the charity, and recently performed at the AARP-sponsored Grand Rally outside the Capitol building in Washington, DC.

“It was just to bring awareness and educate people about the situation,” she said. “There were so many grandmas and grandpas there at the show. I spoke on my experience and living with my grandparents, sang a couple of songs, and actually performed a song I wrote about my grandmother. It was really a magical day, a very special day. What a lot of people don’t know is that four-and-a-half million kids in America are raised by their grandparents, and over seven million are part-time with their grandparents. It’s really amazing to see how much those numbers have grown, and really sad. It’s great to get out and help these elderly people who are struggling but want to take on the responsibility of raising their grandkids because it’s better than having them thrown into foster care.”

Memphis Grizzlies Star Donates To Children's Hospital

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:25:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Memphis Grizzlies swingman Mike Miller has made a $200,000 donation to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“I love what St. Jude does for the community,” said Miller. “Jennifer and I have always been very supportive for what they do with children. I really wanted to do something to help out the community here in Memphis.”

In honor of Millers’ contribution – the largest ever to St. Jude by an individual Grizzlies player – the hospital has named its exercise room the Mason and Mavrick Miller Fitness Room, named after the NBA star’s two boys.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been a partner of St. Jude since April 2002, and has shown their support through hospital visits, by creating special St. Jude nights at Grizzlies home games, and by donating tickets to St. Jude patients and their families. In September 2002, the Grizzlies extended the partnership by pledging $5 million toward construction of the $10 million Memphis Grizzlies House, a short-term housing facility on the St. Jude campus for patients and families undergoing treatment.

Country Singers Promote Dream Home Raffle

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:35:23 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Singers Vince Gill and Amy Grant appeared onstage at a show late last week to raise awareness of the June raffle of the 2008 St Jude Dream Home – a 3,871-square-foot house valued at $650,000.

The show, held in Franklin, Tennessee, also featured performances by the Wooten Brothers and American Idol finalists Melinda Doolittle and Phil Stacey. Over 800 people attended the event, many purchasing tickets for the Dream Home raffle.

The Tennessee Dream Home is one of 34 Dream Homes across America, and organizers of the raffle hope to raise $1.6 million in what has become an annual event. All proceeds from the raffle will go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centres.

“We’re hoping for a very strong kickoff for the raffle ticket sales,” said Grant. “Some people are already passionate about St. Jude and I feel like this a no-brainer. This is exciting — someone is going to win that house.”

Tickets for the raffle cost $100, and there is a range of exciting prizes up for offer. Tickets are available through www.stjudedreamhome.org, and the homes will be raffled live on WZTV Fox 17 on June 22.

“I like the community spirit of this,” said Gill. “There are so many ways people find to give and to help out. And when you talk about a great project to give to, with St. Jude, you’re reaching out to kids and sick kids. And it just doesn’t get any more godly or kindly. It’s the best.”

Stars Compete For Charity On Celebrity Apprentice

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:26:17 -0000

Written by Crystal A. Johnson

16 million people tuned into the first episode of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice on January 3, a show in which celebrities work to win money for the charity of their choice. Critics may argue it is a publicity stunt to boost ratings, but when $250,000 is at stake to go to a good cause, all is fair in ratings and charity.

The show marks the 7th series of reality television show The Apprentice, and features a return to the original format of a male team versus a female team. The men’s team named themselves Hydra, and the women have chosen the name Empresario.

Every week, the money earned on a project goes to the team leader’s charity. In the first episode, actor Stephen Baldwin headed the winning team, and the breast cancer charity named for his mother – the Carol M. Baldwin Cancer Research Fund – was the first charity to reap the benefits of male star power. Baldwin proudly presented a check in excess on $69,000 to the charity. His celebrity teammates include KISS bass player Gene Simmons, Heavyweight Boxing Champion Lennox Lewis, country singer Trace Adkins, America/Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan, Ultimate Fighting Champion Tito Ortiz, and Sopranos star Vincent Pastore.

The female celebrities have lost two challenges and two teammates – former Playboy Playmate Tiffany Fallon and Olympic Gold Medalist Nadia Comanechi. The remaining competitors include actress Marilu Henner, former supermodel Carol Alt, Olympic Gold medalist Jennie Lynch, Elemundo executive Nely Galan, and infamous veteran Apprentice star Omarosa.

The charities the celebrities are fighting for are:

Nadia Comanechi- Special Olympics
Jenni Finch- The Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Marilu Henner- The Physician’s Committee For Responsible Medicine
Carol Alt- The Tony Alt Memorial Foundation
Lennox Lewis-The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center
Gene Simmons-The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Piers Morgan- The Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
Stephen Baldwin- The Carol M. Baldwin Cancer Research Fund
Tiffany Falon- The Walter Reed Society
Tito Ortiz- The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Vincent Pastore- The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research
Nely Galan- Count Me In
Trace Adkins – the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Omarosa – Tomorrow’s Aeronautic Museum

Vijay Singh Donates To Children's Hospital

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:40:15 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, in association with the Stanford Financial Group, kicked off the 2008 Eagles for St. Jude campaign last Friday when Mike Weir sunk the first eagle of the 2008 PGA TOUR season. As part of the Eagles for St. Jude campaign, Stanford will donate $1,000 per eagle for the duration of the season.

Vijay Singh, who serves as an Eagles for St Jude Ambassador, has pledged to donate $5,000 for every eagle he makes on the Tour. This is a major increase from the $1,000 per eagle pledge Vijay made for the 2007 season, during which he made 12 eagles. Although Vijay was slated to donate $12,000 in 2007, he actually gave $50,000, a $38,000 donation above his commitment.

“Making eagles on the Tour takes on a whole new meaning with the Eagles for St. Jude program, because I know my accomplishments help St. Jude achieve its mission to find cures for these special children,” said Singh. “It touches my heart to see these brave kids – they have so much courage to fight. It makes me feel proud every time I make an eagle and it gives me added drive and passion to play my best golf.”

Sir Allen Stanford, Chairman and CEO of Stanford Financial Group, is also ecstatic about the program.

“St. Jude is vital in the battle against catastrophic childhood diseases and we want the world to know it,” he said. “It is our hope that the Eagles for St. Jude program will increase awareness for this special place and encourage golf fans and those who support St. Jude to donate to this worthy cause.”

“Eagles for St. Jude is a wonderfully unique program that shows Stanford’s amazing commitment to the kids of St. Jude,” said John P. Moses, CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. “It will be thrilling to watch the eagles accumulating throughout the PGA TOUR, knowing that each one will help support St. Jude’s ground-breaking research and life-saving care.”

Several options are available for members of the public who would like to participate in the Eagles for St. Jude program. People can make a donation to St. Jude for every eagle made by Vijay Singh, make a donation to St. Jude for every eagle made on the Tour, or just make a one-time donation to St. Jude by visiting their website: http://www.eaglesforstjude.com.

In 2007, Stanford Financial Group assumed the title sponsorship of what was previously known as the FedEx St. Jude Classic and is now named the Stanford St. Jude Championship, a premier PGA TOUR event that has benefited St. Jude since 1970. The Eagles for St. Jude program was created in Stanford’s inaugural sponsorship year out of the desire to provide a season-long fundraising component to the Memphis tournament. During the 2007 PGA TOUR, 1,222 eagles were made, which resulted in Stanford donating $1,222,000 to St. Jude for the Eagles program.

Stars Design Ugg Boots For Charity

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:56:14 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It may be cold, and snow may be falling outside your window, but a new charity auction might have just the thing to keep you warm and cosy this winter. A host of celebrities have got together to fight the winter blues by designing a range of sheepskin-lined Ugg boots, with all proceeds going to fight childhood diseases.

Sharon Stone, Penelope Cruz, and John Travolta are just some of the 22 stars trying to keep your toes toasty this holiday season, with a variety of designs on offer in the auction to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, America’s third largest healthcare charity.

St. Jude’s is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases, and offers free treatment to all of its patients. The hospital, based in Memphis, Tennessee, was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas, and shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities all around the world, making it a leader in children’s healthcare.

The auction has been organized by Ugg Australia, the company behind the famous sheepskin boots, established in 1978 when a young Australian surfer named Brian Smith started selling the boots while on a trip to America. The boots soon became the preferred footwear of Californian surfers, and have now become almost legendary around the world.

The surfing theme has been captured in Ashlee Simpson’s design, which incorporates surfers and dolphins splashing in the ocean, and Eva Longoria’s design highlights the importance of love, with bronze hearts adorning the toes. Matthew McConaughey’s design is emblazoned with the phrase “Just Keep Livin’”, and Liv Tyler’s boots look fit for an Elven Princess. Other stars to donate specially designed boots include Ashton Kutcher, Cindy Crawford, Ellen DeGeneres, Minnie Driver, Whoopi Goldberg, Martha Stewart, Kelly Ripa, and Kelly Preston.

The boots start with a reserve price of $200, and the auction runs from December 1-14 on www.cmarket.com.

Also in the mood for giving this holiday season is actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who has teamed up with non-profit organization Trickle Up to offer a special piece of jewelry available when people make donations to the charity.

“Would you like to give a gift that will change someone’s life?” said the 30-year-old in a letter published on Trickle Up’s website. “This holiday season, make a donation of $100 in honor of a friend or family member and Trickle Up will send them the beautiful Trickle Up necklace, designed by one of my favorite designers – TENTHOUSANDTHINGS. Trickle Up will use your donation to help someone living on less than one dollar a day to start a micro-enterprise and take the first steps out of poverty. With their successful businesses, Trickle Up entrepreneurs are able to feed their families more nutritious meals, send children to school, receive medical care, and improve their housing. The Trickle Up necklace is a great holiday gift that will always remind you of an even greater gift: a hopeful future for a very poor family. You can seed a dream.”

The necklace is available from www.trickleup.org.

Princess Madiha Dances For St. Jude

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:52:15 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Syrian dancer Princess Madiha hosted her 16th annual dance workshop and dinner concert earlier this month, raising over $500,000 to date. All of the proceeds benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an internationally recognized biomedical research center in Memphis, Tennessee, that searches for cures for childhood diseases, primarily pediatric cancers.

St. Jude sees over 4,000 patients a year from over 60 countries across the globe, most treated on a continuing outpatient basis. It is supported mainly by volunteer contributions and federal grants.

Princess Madiha’s dedication to St. Jude, the patron saint of those in need, was born from her desire to give back to the community that saved her son many years ago after a car accident.

This latest event, attended by over 400 Arab-Americans, began with an all-day Middle Eastern dance workshop, and was followed by a family-style Middle Eastern dinner with live, professional, ethnic dance entertainment in vivid costume colour.

What began many years ago as a small, local event with only the Princess and her students performing, has grown to attract local and international troupes and performers, and a growing and generous audience, already eager for next year’s production.

The Hollywood Cookbook Launch Party

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 20:32:59 -0000

Written by Charles Harder

Stars and food converged at Kitchen Academy in Hollywood last night for a party launching The Hollywood Cookbook—a beautiful 271-page hardcover collection of sumptuous recipes, each accompanied by a large photo, from the personal kitchens of 20 celebrities and 6 world-class chefs. Five dollars from each purchase benefits 20 important charities dear to the hearts of the celebrity contributors.

The cookbook covers the spectrum of food and beverage, from appetizers, soups and salads, to main courses, desserts, and even cocktails. Michael J. Fox’s Barn Dance Chicken, and Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford’s Savory Fall Stew are just two of the 107 creative and simple dishes that can be duplicated in any kitchen regardless of culinary skill level. Chefs Wolfgang Puck, Mario Batali, Joachim Splichal, Nick Stellino, Michael Cimarusti and Rocco DiSpirito also contributed recipes to the book.

At the event, the students of Kitchen Academy prepared and served 20 recipes featured in the cookbook, each one tastier than the last. This reporter’s favorite: Door Knob Sweet Potato Balls (an appetizer) from designer Paige Hemmis of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Yum!

Chef Jamie Gwen’s movie-star looks and talk-show host’s presence kept attendees laughing and entertained as the event’s emcee. The evening included a cooking demonstration by actor Greg Grunberg, and an informal awards ceremony. Eric Close of TV’s Without a Trace gave a heartfelt tribute to his charity, Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch, which pairs abused children with rescued horses and adult leaders at 24 wilderness ranches around the U.S. and Canada, to help restore the heart, soul, mind and strength of the kids.

Written by screenwriter Jackie Zabel and actress Morgan Most, and published by Silverback Books, The Hollywood Cookbook is a perfect holiday gift (retails for $35, but presently is featured at Amazon.com for only $23). The event was co-sponsored by Maurice Le Croix Swiss Watches and The Kitchen Academy.

Celebrities & Charities: Thora Birch (Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation), Michael Chiklis (The Children’s Lifesaving Foundation), Eric Close (Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch), Mark Dacascos (Reel Angels), James Denton (Cure Autism Now), Michael J. Fox & Tracy Pollan (The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research), Afton Fraser & Brendan Fraser (P.S. ARTS), Greg Grunberg (Pediatric Epilepsy Project), Anne Hathaway (Lollipop Theater Network), Paige Hemmis (Habitat For Humanity), Ron Howard (Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America), Jane Kaczmarek and Bradley Whitford (Clothes Off Our Back), Esai Morales (TreePeople), Don Most (City of Hope), Bob Saget (Scleroderma Research Foundation), Marlo Thomas (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), Kerry Washington (Step Up), Treat Williams (Save the Children), Alicia Witt (The Art of Elysium), and Kelly Wolf & Scott Wolf (Camp Heartland).

Look To The Stars News: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

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