Look To The Stars News: Ronald McDonald House Charities

Teen Actor Hosts Second Charity Bowl-A-Thon

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Teen actor Jordan Van Vranken is hosting her second Annual Bowl-A-Thon Sunday, January 15th to raise money to support kids with cancer and to contribute to the 21st Annual Ronald McDonald House Radiothon.

Jordan has participated in the Memphis Ronald McDonald House fundraiser since she was 7, an event that raises money for the home for children and their families who are being treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Jordan created the Bowl-A-Thon event as a way to help raise additional funds and allow her Los Angeles-based friends and fellow actors to participate in this worthwhile cause.

“I love the Memphis Ronald McDonald House and the St. Jude kids. I will be in Memphis for the annual Radiothon fundraiser in February, but wanted to find a way to include my friends here in LA.” Jordan has been working on the second annual Bowl-A-Thon for months. This year she has attracted additional sponsors for the event, including Soup’s Sports Grill in Woodland Hills, CA, who will donate 20% of all purchases January 14th and 15th towards the fundraiser when Jordan’s event flyer is presented.

Rugby Star Donates Underwear To Celebrity Charity Auction

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

A signed pair of World Champion rugby star and All Black Dan Carter’s Jockey underwear and the sweaty singlet studded with Swarovski crystals Richard Simmons wore in Air New Zealand’s safety video are amongst more than 100 items up for grabs in Air New Zealand’s annual Kids @ Christmas charity auction at www.sella.co.nz.

Other big ticket items include breakfast with former New Zealand Prime Minister and current Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme Helen Clark in New York, the chance to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Dublin, two months unlimited Business Premier travel and an All Blacks training jersey signed by current NZ Prime Minister John Key.

The auction is this year raising money for charities Kids Restore New Zealand and Ronald McDonald House Wellington, a facility where families can stay while their child is being cared for in hospital.

LTTS Exclusive: Kevin Jonas Visits Ronald McDonald House

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

On Friday, October 7, 2011, young cancer patients and their families gathered at the Ronald McDonald House New York’s (RMH-NY) newly renovated AOL Media Room with Kevin Jonas, of the Jonas Brothers, to celebrate its unveiling.

The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities is to develop and support programs that are specifically designed to help improve overall quality of life for children. The Foundation’s core values focus on the important needs of children, celebrating the world’s diversity, staying true to heritage and being 100% accountable.

Kevin Jonas To Attend Ronald McDonald House Event

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:30:00 +0000

To commemorate October’s National Children’s Health Month, AOL is making a difference for children battling cancer by donating an AOL Media Room to the Ronald McDonald House in New York.

On Friday, October 7, 2011 at 3PM, young cancer patients and their families will gather at the Ronald McDonald House New York’s (RMH-NY) newly renovated AOL Media Room with Kevin Jonas – of the multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated artists, the Jonas Brothers – to celebrate its unveiling.

Don Felder To Bring An Evening At The Hotel California To Celebrity Charity Golf Event

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:01:00 +0000

Former Eagles guitarist Don Felder will headline a special concert celebrating the 11th annual BMW Celebrity Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament next month.

The guitar legend will join over 20 celebrities teeing off in the tournament from May 19-22 in South Carolina, including Lucas Black, Mark Bryan, Oliver Hudson, Josh Kelley, Greg Kinnear, Cheech Marin, Terry O’Quinn, Michael Pena, Joe Pesci, Jerry Rice, Rascal Flatts’ Joe Don Rooney, Kevin Sorbo, Gary Valentine, Patrick Warburton, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Donovan and many more.

“This year’s line up of celebrities is as good top to bottom as we’ve ever had,” said Tournament Director Darin MacDonald. “Many of the fan favorites are returning, and we’ve got some exciting first-timers. The corporate sponsors and spectators are in for a treat.”

Carmen Electra To Host The Best Party In Texas For Charity

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Corporate speaker, author, and Texas businessman Jose Feliciano is celebrating Super Bowl XLV in grand style by sponsoring “The Best Party in Texas” – which will benefit a number of national and local Texas charities on Saturday, February 5, 2011.

With over 150 celebrities and athletes confirmed and over 1000 guests expected, the party promises to be one of the most memorable Super Bowl weekend parties in football history.

The star-studded event is being hosted by actress Carmen Electra, Bill Rancic from The Apprentice, and his wife Giuliana Rancic star of E! News. In addition to Super Bowl Champions Bill Bates and Jay Novacek, Coach Mike Ditka and more than 70 Gridiron Greats Hall of Famers, celebrity party guests will include the Ultimate Cheerleaders and Aubrey O’Day, with entertainment provided by the Emerald City Band, American Outlaw, and DJ Krave of Grammy Award winning Play-N-Skillz.

LTTS Exclusive: Marissa Jaret Winokur Talks Charity And Cancer

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:30:00 +0000

LookToTheStars.org’s Hollywood Insider Maxine Tatlonghari was lucky enough to talk exclusively with The Talk’s Marissa Jaret Winokur at the WE CAN Community-wide Food Drive benefiting the Burbank Temporary Aid Center co-hosted by Ali Landry and Yum! Brands on November 16, 2010 at the Burbank Boys and Girls Club.

What brought you out today?

My sister-in-law told me about the day, and my friend Ali (Landry) had sent me an email a long time ago asking me to support this. As friends you like to support each other’s causes and this is a really good one. I do a lot of stuff on my own but I still try to be really good about showing up when my friends ask me to “come, come!”

Hollywood Bad Guy Has Heart of Gold

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:13:00 +0000

Actor/Producer/Director/Humanitarian Scott L. Schwartz helped raise over $40k at this month’s Alicia’s House 8th Annual Celebrity Golf Outing, Dinner and Silent Auction.

Scott was one of the celebrity special guests at Chicagoland Expo in Carol Stream, IL, and while in town he helped hand out food to the needy at Alicia’s House Food Pantry. The pro-wrestler also visited the Ronald McDonald House and several Children’s Hospitals.

Although he is known as the “Ultimate Bad Guy” from his work in films such as Ocean’s 11, 12 & 13, Starsky & Hutch, Fun With Dick And Jane, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Star Trek Voyager and many more feature films, Scott exhibits a caring side off-screen. He started visiting children’s hospitals worldwide after losing his sister to lung cancer in 1998. The tragic experience showed him the value and impact in making a lasting impression on children with cancer and how important it is to make each child feel special and cared about.

Samuel L. Jackson To Lead Celebrity Charity Golf Tournament

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:00:00 +0000

A huge number of stars and famous faces will hit the golf course in next month as part of the BMW Charity Pro-Am tournament.

The 2010 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation will be played Thursday, May 13 through Sunday, May 16 at South Carolina’s Bright’s Creek Golf Club, The Carolina Country Club and Thornblade Club. Among the 28 celebrities confirmed to tee off are former Eagles guitarist Don Felder, Catherine Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, Dr. Phil McGraw, Dennis Quaid, Rascal Flatts guitarist Joe Don Rooney, Kurt Russell, Kevin Sorbo, Luke Wilson and many others.

The BMW Charity Pro-Am is the only tournament on the Nationwide Tour where amateurs and celebrities are grouped with Nationwide Tour professionals in a four-day better-ball competition over three courses. Amateurs, celebrities and pros rotate between three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the 14 lowest scoring pro-amateur/pro-celebrity teams advancing to play Sunday’s final round at Thornblade Club. Celebrities play once at each course on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Professional winner of the overall 72-hole event will take home $108,000 from the total purse of $600,000.

Exclusive Photo Feature: Olympians' Hearts of Gold

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:34:00 +0000

We have witnessed the amazing physical feats of the US Team in the Olympics, and now the Olympians want to share some of the other wonderful ways they use their time and strengths. Look To The Stars is honored to bring you news of their charity work, with thanks to NBC/USOC for providing the images.

Chad Hedrick (Long Track Speed Skating – won a bronze medal)
Competes on Friday and Saturday, February 26th & 27th

Charitable Celebrities To Receive 21st Century Leaders Awards

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Celebrities will be out in abundance in Doha, Qatar, next week for the Whatever It Takes Experience presented by 21st Century Leaders and Whatever It Takes.

As well as a private art experience and gala dinner, several stars will be honored with 21st Century Leaders Awards at this massive charity event.

The Doha 21st Century Leaders’ Awards are granted to individuals who, whilst being leaders in their own fields, have also made a serious commitment and significant impact on their chosen cause.

Ryan Seacrest To Host Ronald McDonald House Event

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities (ARMHC) announces its Hearts and Hands Gala at 7pm on Saturday, October 24, at the World of Coca-Cola.

Atlanta`s own Ryan Seacrest of “American Idol” will serve as host of the sold out black-tie dinner which will feature a special performance by “American Idol” season six finalist Melinda Doolittle and a silent auction. The Coca-Cola Company is the event`s presenting sponsor. The Event Chair is Javier Goizueta, Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company and President of the McDonald`s Division Worldwide. Muhtar Kent, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company is Honorary Chair.

“The Ronald McDonald House is a cause that is very dear to the hearts of us at The Coca-Cola Company. We are committed to supporting the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities, as we strive to help improve the health and well-being of children and families in need,” says Javier Goizueta.

Michael Jackson's This Is It Film To Be Released

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

It has been reported that a film is to be released of the final footage from Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for his This Is It concerts, with some of the proceeds to go to charity.

Sony Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire the film – at a price of $60 million – with 90% of the profits to go to the Jackson Estate, which will include a charity to be set up in the King of Pop’s name.

Jackson was a huge supporter of charities in his lifetime, and his family hopes to keep his memory alive with the new charity. The singer often visited underprivileged children and children affected by disasters and in hospitals, and worked with organizations such as the Jane Goodall Institute, the TJ Martell Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children, the Prince’s Trust, the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Childhelp USA, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation and many more.

Michael Jackson's Charity Legacy

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Michael Jackson, who passed away last week, featured significantly on the pages of Look To The Stars. He was a passionate supporter of charity, and was honored by many different organizations for the work that he did and the compassion that he showed.

As well as writing We Are The World with Lionel Richie and helping to organize the United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert in the wake of September 11, Jackson also donated the proceeds from a song to victims of Hurricane Katrina, often donated items to charity auctions, and was to donate some of the proceeds from his upcoming shows in London to charity. He set up a burns unit for children and also established the Heal The World Foundation, whose work has included airlifting 6 tons of supplies to Sarajevo, instituting drug and alcohol abuse education and donating millions of dollars to less fortunate children.

But this is only the tip of the iceberg. A comprehensive timeline of the late singer’s charitable work has been published by Jackson Action. The list includes his work with underprivileged children and children affected by disasters, visits to hospitals, and work with organizations such as the Jane Goodall Institute, the TJ Martell Foundation, the United Negro College Fund, the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children, the Prince’s Trust, the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Childhelp USA, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of America, Children’s Defense Fund, Elizabeth Taylor’s AIDS Foundation and many more. It also details Jackson’s efforts to airlift 60,000 doses of children’s vaccines to Tblisi, Georgia, and his donations to hundreds of charities. To view the timeline, click here.

Stars Design Necklaces For Charity Auction

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The World Gold Council has launched its charity auction featuring jewelry designed by some of entertainment’s biggest stars.

As reported by Look To The Stars last year, a range of celebrities – including Debra Messing, Christina Applegate, Whoopi Goldberg, Marcia Gay Harden, Samantha Harris, Eric McCormack, Chris Noth (“Mr Big”), Lena Olin, Rachael Ray, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, and Pauletta & Denzel Washington – have designed gold pendant necklaces incorporating a leaf motif. Participants will choose to have proceeds from the sale of their designs benefit their favorite charity or Jewelers for Children, the jewelers industry charity that has invested over $30 million in special programs to reach children whose lives have been devastated by catastrophic illness or life-threatening abuse and neglect.

Other charities to benefit from the auction include YouthAIDS, Right Action for Women, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Waterkeeper Alliance, Project Angel Food, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Hope for Henry Foundation – a charity which improves the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses by providing carefully chosen gifts and specially designed programs to entertain and promote comfort, care and recovery – Yum-o!, and the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.

NHL Announces Charity Poker Tournament

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:00:00 +0000

The National Hockey League just announced that the 2009 NHL Awards will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on June 18. But the bigger news is that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also announced the League will be staging a celebrity/pro athlete charity poker tournament June 17.

 "For years there has been a charitable component to the Awards program," said Bettman, “I am pleased to announce today that the NHL will team with Pokerstars.net and the NHL Players’ Association to present [the poker tournament] in connection with the 2009 NHL Awards.”   

The “NHL Charity Shootout Presented by Pokerstars.net” event will include NHL stars, NHL alumni and celebrity guests playing ‘No Limit Texas Hold’em’ to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Las Vegas and the NHL Players Association’s Goals and Dreams charity. Players will also make donations to the charities of their choice.    

Vince Gill To Play Charity Concert

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Country singer Vince Gill will play a special charity concert in Geenville, South Carolina, in April.

The singer – who has won 19 Grammy Awards – will bring his band to the Bi-Lo Center on April 19. Proceeds will benefit The Mac Foundation – a charity established in 2006 by parents Ronnie and Vickie Allen after their 12-year-old son passed away – that aims to create opportunities for children and young adults through sports, the arts, and extra-curricular activities, intent on keeping their minds and bodies focused on positive alternatives to the temptations of life.

The Mac Foundation will use proceeds from the concert to make donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Greenville Family Partnership, CESA Top Soccer, and The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club.

Kasey Kahne Helps Out Ronald McDonald House Charities

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:00:00 +0000

NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne visited a McDonald’s in Yelm, Washington, yesterday to personally congratulate and thank the restaurant crew members for their outstanding efforts during World Children’s Day 2008 – selling the most paper Hands in the country through the “Give A Hand” fundraiser.

World Children’s Day at McDonald’s is the Company’s largest annual fundraiser to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and other children’s charities worldwide. The 2008 campaign raised more than $8 million dollars to help support the Charity’s three core programs, including the Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile; since its inception in 2001, the campaign has raised more than $132 million for RMHC.

James Reynolds Leads Veterans Program

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Daytime actor and Emmy nominee James Reynolds is chairman of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 2009 National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.

Reynolds, best known for his long- running performance as police officer Abe Carver on the popular “Day’s of Our Lives”, led VA’s annual patient recognition program that invited the public to visit and honor hospitalized veterans during National Salute Week, Feb. 8-14. He serves as the national spokesperson for more than 131,000 volunteers serving veterans at VA facilities across the nation.

Reynolds was born and raised in the small farming community of Oskaloosa, Kan. During high school, he performed in many school plays and played football, basketball and track.

Naomi Judd Heads Up Exciting Auction

Mon, 26 May 2008 11:08:45 +0000

Now here’s something really exciting: Country singer Naomi Judd has teamed up with The Autograph Store, a leading online auction dealer of celebrity autographed photos and signed memorabilia, to sponsor the Huntington, West Virginia, Ronald McDonald House’s Charity Auction.

The auction, which also includes a dinner and dance, will be held on May 31 at the Bellefonte Golf and Country Club in Ashland, Kentucky, and will feature some awesome items including guitars autographed by the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, CDs signed by U2 and Madonna, and photos autographed by Johnny Depp and others.

The Huntington Ronald McDonald House has served more than 8,300 families from southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and southeastern Ohio, and the Autograph Store is proud to be the exclusive supplier of all celebrity autographed items for this fundraiser.

Cindy Crawford Hosts Mothers Day Spa For Ronald McDonald House

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:26:03 +0000

Some of Tinseltown’s brightest female stars turned out for an early Mothers Day charity fundraiser event in Los Angeles today, April 29, to salute mothers staying at Ronald McDonald House.

Cindy Crawford, Dayanara Torres, June Ambrose, and Tamia hosted the “spa and wellbeing” event, and treated mothers with sick children to manicures and neck and shoulder massages, make-up tips, and consultations provided by JAFRA Cosmetics International Inc., as well as gift bags filled with beauty items.

“It will be very special to watch these incredible mothers take a break, relax, and enjoy the day,” said Crawford. “We know that the presence of families helps in the healing process for children. These moms give so much love and support to their children during such a difficult time, and in honor of Mother’s Day, this is a nice way to show our appreciation for all the sacrifices they make for their families each and every day.”