The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is now accepting submissions for its annual awards program. Each year the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation presents awards honoring the outstanding, creative work of individuals in preserving and promulgating the Marine Corps’ history, traditions and culture. Marines and civilians alike may submit their own entries or the distinguished work of others for award consideration. Awards will be presented at the Foundation’s annual ceremony on April 20, 2013. Submissions deadline is January 9, 2013.
From Active Duty and retired Marines to civilians, the Awards Program draws entries from a broad spectrum of individuals interested in portraying or recognizing some aspect of Marine life, culture, history, or work. The Foundation recognizes superior achievement in literature, art, photography, videography and museum exhibits. Award categories include historical scholarship, journalism and letters and arts for a total of 15 awards. The awards submissions will be reviewed by a distinguished and diverse panel of editors from major regional and national media outlets, as well Marines, authors and noted photographers.
For a detailed list of the awards as well as the submission requirements, please visit: http://www.marineheritage.org/Awards.asp.
“Our annual awards ceremony spotlights the creative achievements of civilians and Marines alike,” said LtGen Robert R. Blackman, Jr., President and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. “The Foundation applauds all those who have created work that depicts, advances and preserves Marine Corps history, traditions, and culture. We strongly encourage individuals to submit their own work or submit work on behalf of others. It is important for these works to be celebrated.”
Showing posts with label passing it forward. Show all posts
Showing posts with label passing it forward. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
San Diego musicians turn letters into songs for charity
A close-knit group of award-winning singer/songwriters in San Diego have turned four real-life letters into a book, album, and concert event benefitting causes chosen by the letter senders. For The Sender: Four Letters. Twelve Songs. One Story. will be released by Hay House on September 18, 2012.
The voices of Grammy-winning bands Switchfoot and Nickel Creek, and platinum-selling New Found Glory, are among those singing the songs inspired by the real-life letters from four women. A first-responder in Haiti, the widow of a fallen police officer, the director of a children's homeless shelter, and a woman who lost her soulmate sent their stories to singer-songwriter Alex Woodard, who was so moved by their letters that he recruited his close-knit group of musician friends to write and record songs about the letters.
Woodard found the themes from the letters so universal that he wove his own story of loss and redemption into a book with the lyrics, letters, and backstories. He called the project For The Sender, based on a lyric from the album's title track that suggests a letter is written more for the sender than the receiver. This for the sender theme runs through the project and is reflected in the donation of a portion of the proceeds to causes chosen by the senders of the letters, including the Stand Up for Kids homeless shelter in Oceanside, CA and the WeAdvance women's clinic in Haiti.
"I spent so many years writing about myself, trying to 'make it', knocking on every door I could and asking people to listen to me," says Woodard. "Making an album and writing a book that was more for the senders than myself was like walking into a bright, airy, beautiful room that had been in my house for years, but I always just walked past. And when I traveled around playing these songs for the letter senders, there was a clear, direct channel between the song and the listener who inspired it. I'd never experienced anything like that before--so I slowly let go of my own agenda to let this project evolve and take shape."
Number one New York Times bestselling author and widely respected spiritual leader Deepak Chopra has given exceptional praise to For The Sender, saying, "Alex Woodard's For The Sender radiates with love and is a beautiful tribute to the resilience of the human spirit." Dr. Wayne Dyer, also a renowned spiritual teacher, called For The Sender "a beautifully written book with a powerful message" and will be appearing in conjunction with Alex at publisher-sponsored events. For The Sender had sold out every show in Woodard's hometown of San Diego, California when Hay House, the largest motivational and inspirational publisher in the world, approached Alex about publishing the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
When he's not surfing in a little beach town north of San Diego, Alex Woodard lives with a big dog and bigger horse in the mountains of Idaho.
The letters, lyrics, song clips, and videos about each letter can be seen on the project's website at www.forthesender.com.
For the Sender: Four Letters. Twelve Songs. One Story.
Release date: September 18, 2012 / Memoir
ISBN 978-1-4019-4121-5, $19.95 US
5.3125" x 7.5" Hardback with CD
The voices of Grammy-winning bands Switchfoot and Nickel Creek, and platinum-selling New Found Glory, are among those singing the songs inspired by the real-life letters from four women. A first-responder in Haiti, the widow of a fallen police officer, the director of a children's homeless shelter, and a woman who lost her soulmate sent their stories to singer-songwriter Alex Woodard, who was so moved by their letters that he recruited his close-knit group of musician friends to write and record songs about the letters.
Woodard found the themes from the letters so universal that he wove his own story of loss and redemption into a book with the lyrics, letters, and backstories. He called the project For The Sender, based on a lyric from the album's title track that suggests a letter is written more for the sender than the receiver. This for the sender theme runs through the project and is reflected in the donation of a portion of the proceeds to causes chosen by the senders of the letters, including the Stand Up for Kids homeless shelter in Oceanside, CA and the WeAdvance women's clinic in Haiti.
"I spent so many years writing about myself, trying to 'make it', knocking on every door I could and asking people to listen to me," says Woodard. "Making an album and writing a book that was more for the senders than myself was like walking into a bright, airy, beautiful room that had been in my house for years, but I always just walked past. And when I traveled around playing these songs for the letter senders, there was a clear, direct channel between the song and the listener who inspired it. I'd never experienced anything like that before--so I slowly let go of my own agenda to let this project evolve and take shape."
Number one New York Times bestselling author and widely respected spiritual leader Deepak Chopra has given exceptional praise to For The Sender, saying, "Alex Woodard's For The Sender radiates with love and is a beautiful tribute to the resilience of the human spirit." Dr. Wayne Dyer, also a renowned spiritual teacher, called For The Sender "a beautifully written book with a powerful message" and will be appearing in conjunction with Alex at publisher-sponsored events. For The Sender had sold out every show in Woodard's hometown of San Diego, California when Hay House, the largest motivational and inspirational publisher in the world, approached Alex about publishing the book.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
When he's not surfing in a little beach town north of San Diego, Alex Woodard lives with a big dog and bigger horse in the mountains of Idaho.
The letters, lyrics, song clips, and videos about each letter can be seen on the project's website at www.forthesender.com.
For the Sender: Four Letters. Twelve Songs. One Story.
Release date: September 18, 2012 / Memoir
ISBN 978-1-4019-4121-5, $19.95 US
5.3125" x 7.5" Hardback with CD
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Tattoos for the Cure breast cancer benefit Oct. 6 in Pomona
Ink'd Chronicles presents the 5th annual Tattoos for the Cure breast cancer charity event on Sat. Oct. 6.
It's a day and night of tattoos, fashion, music, art, vendors and prizes - all for charity.
The event kicks off at noon when artists will begin a 12-hour marathon of pink ribbon tattoos and other preselected designs for an $80 minimum donation. The evening's activities include live bands and DJ, fashion show, vendors, art show with live body painting, VIP party, raffle prizes featuring pink NFL gear and more.
The fashion show starts at 7:30 pm and features models walking the outdoor runway. Clothing sponsors include Sullen, Rebel Spirit, Keep a Breast Foundation, Beautiful Disaster, Handsome Devil and Cartel Ink.
Bands performing, include Gamblers Mark, Roadside Ghost, OKT and Scurvy Kids with more to be added. Music from 6:00 - 11:00 pm on the street stage.
All proceeds are donated to the Breast Health Program at the Lewis Family Cancer Care Center. The event has raised over $24,000 for the breast health program.
Ink'd Chronicles is located at 264 W. 2nd Street, Pomona, CA 91766. For more information or to schedule a tattoo appointment for the event, please call 909-622-5351.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Anne Heaton to release album and tour
Chicago-based singer-songwriter Anne Heaton is set to release her fourth album, Honeycomb, on October 16, 2012, via her own Spill Records label. Produced by Heaton, Gary Maurer (Hem) and Mike Denneen (Howie Day, Aimee Mann), the album features 12 songs and is organized into two moods – euphoric and meditative – with a uniting theme of impermanence linking them together. Two of the songs are musical adaptations of poems by 13th-century mystic Rumi; one is an adaptation of the Catholic “Saint Francis Prayer;” a field-recording of a conversation with her father makes an appearance, as does a cover of Coldplay's “Viva La Vida.” Fans voted to select Honeycomb as the album title.
“The first part you can really sing out loud to while you dance around the house,” Heaton explains. “The second part is music you can let wash over you while you lay down. But the ideas and feelings expressed are very connected—the theme of being present reigns throughout. The album is a pilgrimage toward, and a celebration of, letting go.”
Honeycomb is innovatively packaged with artwork by graphic artist Brian Grunert that vibrantly evokes the spirit in each of the 12 songs; each song gets its own glossy artwork card which can be slotted into the cover position based on the listener’s preference. “These songs are like colorful landscapes, full of detail, and the images are a singular point of focus—one cell of the song to stand for the whole,” says Heaton. “It's kind of like in the book 'Good Night Moon.' You go from the colorful scene of the whole bedroom and all the items in there, to the next page, where it’s just an image of a brush on a table.”
Heaton’s gracefully vulnerable piano-based music has amassed awards, praise from critics, fellow artists, and fans. The Washington Post calls her songs “tender, barbed, and spiritual.” The Boston Globe describes her music as “lush, introspective, and elegant.” Paste calls her work “stunning.”
Heaton has toured nationally, played the Sundance Film Festival, Lilith Fair, and has been a featured artist on the New York Times Music Podcast. Heaton has also played numerous times on NPR. In 2005, she won Soul City Cafe, a national competition of live performances and online voting to choose Jewel’s opener for her West Coast Tour. In addition to Jewel’s tour, Heaton has also shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan, Winterbloom, Melissa Ferrick, Hem, Chris Trapper, Jill Sobule, The Pernice Brothers, Jennifer Kimball, and Jonatha Brooke. In a live review, the Seattle Times gushed Heaton was “a natural performer [with] a rich, soaring voice.” Tour dates are planned in support of Honeycomb (the tour kicked off with an album preview show at Club Passim in Boston last week), and Heaton will be touring in December for a series of holiday shows with the Winterbloom collective (which also features Antje Duvekot, Meg Hutchinson, and Natalia Zuckerman). (See tour schedule below; more dates will be confirmed.)
***A portion of all proceeds from Anne's tour this Fall will be donated to Fundación Niños de los Andes, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, protection and rehabilitation of street children in Bogota, Colombia (and other towns throughout the country). Anne met many of these street children in 2008 when she visited the Fundación and had an opportunity to hear their stories and learn about their lives. To create awareness, Anne turned some of these stories into songs. (This project is coming in 2014.) This organization remains close to Anne's heart, and she wants the children to know she cares about them by donating to the organization. Fundación Niños de los Andes helps children, who have lived in violent and insecure conditions, to recuperate psychologically, physically and spiritually, and to reintegrate into society. Learn more at http://ninandes.org/***
ANNE HEATON TOUR SCHEDULE:
9/15 – Chatham, NJ / The Sanctuary Concert Series
10/3 – New York, NY / Rockwood Music Hall
10/4 – Vienna, VA / Jammin Java (w/Peter Mulvey)
10/6 – Franklin, MA / Circle of Friends Coffeehouse (w/Antje Duvekot)
10/12 – Old Saybrook, CT / Katharine Hepburn Theater
10/20 – Milwaukee, WI / Millions For Music Concert Series
11/1 – Evanston, IL / SPACE
11/6 – Indianapolis, IN / Irving Theater (w/Natalia Zuckerman)
11/8 – 11/11 – Harbor Springs, MI / LAMB’s Retreat Songwriter’s Workshop
11/30 – Ann Arbor, MI / The Ark (Winterbloom show)
12/1 – Chicago, IL / WFMT Folkstage Midnight Special (Winterbloom show)
12/2 – Chicago, IL / Old Town School of Folk Music (Winterbloom show)
12/7 – Ann Arbor, MI / The Ark (w/Melissa Ferrick)
12/13 – Portland, ME / One Longfellow Square (Winterbloom show)
12/14 – Boston, MA / The Oberon at The A.R.T. (Winterbloom show)
12/15 – Franklin, MA / Circle of Friends (Winterbloom show)
12/16 – Stonybrook, NY / SUNY Univ Cafe Acoustic Series (Winterbloom show)
12/21 – Vienna, VA / Jammin Java (Winterbloom show)
12/22 – Phoenixville, PA / Steel City Coffeehouse (Winterbloom show)
12/23 – New York, NY / Union Hall (Winterbloom show)
www.anneheaton.com
www.facebook.com/anneheatonmusic
www.twitter.com/anneheaton
“The first part you can really sing out loud to while you dance around the house,” Heaton explains. “The second part is music you can let wash over you while you lay down. But the ideas and feelings expressed are very connected—the theme of being present reigns throughout. The album is a pilgrimage toward, and a celebration of, letting go.”
Honeycomb is innovatively packaged with artwork by graphic artist Brian Grunert that vibrantly evokes the spirit in each of the 12 songs; each song gets its own glossy artwork card which can be slotted into the cover position based on the listener’s preference. “These songs are like colorful landscapes, full of detail, and the images are a singular point of focus—one cell of the song to stand for the whole,” says Heaton. “It's kind of like in the book 'Good Night Moon.' You go from the colorful scene of the whole bedroom and all the items in there, to the next page, where it’s just an image of a brush on a table.”
Heaton’s gracefully vulnerable piano-based music has amassed awards, praise from critics, fellow artists, and fans. The Washington Post calls her songs “tender, barbed, and spiritual.” The Boston Globe describes her music as “lush, introspective, and elegant.” Paste calls her work “stunning.”
Heaton has toured nationally, played the Sundance Film Festival, Lilith Fair, and has been a featured artist on the New York Times Music Podcast. Heaton has also played numerous times on NPR. In 2005, she won Soul City Cafe, a national competition of live performances and online voting to choose Jewel’s opener for her West Coast Tour. In addition to Jewel’s tour, Heaton has also shared the stage with Sarah McLachlan, Winterbloom, Melissa Ferrick, Hem, Chris Trapper, Jill Sobule, The Pernice Brothers, Jennifer Kimball, and Jonatha Brooke. In a live review, the Seattle Times gushed Heaton was “a natural performer [with] a rich, soaring voice.” Tour dates are planned in support of Honeycomb (the tour kicked off with an album preview show at Club Passim in Boston last week), and Heaton will be touring in December for a series of holiday shows with the Winterbloom collective (which also features Antje Duvekot, Meg Hutchinson, and Natalia Zuckerman). (See tour schedule below; more dates will be confirmed.)
***A portion of all proceeds from Anne's tour this Fall will be donated to Fundación Niños de los Andes, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, protection and rehabilitation of street children in Bogota, Colombia (and other towns throughout the country). Anne met many of these street children in 2008 when she visited the Fundación and had an opportunity to hear their stories and learn about their lives. To create awareness, Anne turned some of these stories into songs. (This project is coming in 2014.) This organization remains close to Anne's heart, and she wants the children to know she cares about them by donating to the organization. Fundación Niños de los Andes helps children, who have lived in violent and insecure conditions, to recuperate psychologically, physically and spiritually, and to reintegrate into society. Learn more at http://ninandes.org/***
ANNE HEATON TOUR SCHEDULE:
9/15 – Chatham, NJ / The Sanctuary Concert Series
10/3 – New York, NY / Rockwood Music Hall
10/4 – Vienna, VA / Jammin Java (w/Peter Mulvey)
10/6 – Franklin, MA / Circle of Friends Coffeehouse (w/Antje Duvekot)
10/12 – Old Saybrook, CT / Katharine Hepburn Theater
10/20 – Milwaukee, WI / Millions For Music Concert Series
11/1 – Evanston, IL / SPACE
11/6 – Indianapolis, IN / Irving Theater (w/Natalia Zuckerman)
11/8 – 11/11 – Harbor Springs, MI / LAMB’s Retreat Songwriter’s Workshop
11/30 – Ann Arbor, MI / The Ark (Winterbloom show)
12/1 – Chicago, IL / WFMT Folkstage Midnight Special (Winterbloom show)
12/2 – Chicago, IL / Old Town School of Folk Music (Winterbloom show)
12/7 – Ann Arbor, MI / The Ark (w/Melissa Ferrick)
12/13 – Portland, ME / One Longfellow Square (Winterbloom show)
12/14 – Boston, MA / The Oberon at The A.R.T. (Winterbloom show)
12/15 – Franklin, MA / Circle of Friends (Winterbloom show)
12/16 – Stonybrook, NY / SUNY Univ Cafe Acoustic Series (Winterbloom show)
12/21 – Vienna, VA / Jammin Java (Winterbloom show)
12/22 – Phoenixville, PA / Steel City Coffeehouse (Winterbloom show)
12/23 – New York, NY / Union Hall (Winterbloom show)
www.anneheaton.com
www.facebook.com/anneheatonmusic
www.twitter.com/anneheaton
Jason Mraz benefit concert in LA Oct. 6
Jason Mraz, the GRAMMY® Award-winning tunesmith will perform a concert at The Wiltern on October 6. Mraz will be performing an acoustic set with his band in this intimate setting. Tickets go on sale Saturday, September 8 at 10 AM and can be purchased at Live Nation.com. Doors for the show open at 7 PM with the show starting at 7:45 PM sharp. Proceeds to benefit the Jason Mraz Foundation devoted to supporting a number of charities for which he has been a dedicated and impassioned advocate.
Among the organizations supported by the Jason Mraz Foundation are True Colors Fund (www.truecolorsfund.org), which promotes the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality; Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org), dedicated to protecting our world’s oceans, beaches, and waves; the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (www.nrdc.org), which works to protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth; youth organizations VH1 Save The Music Foundation (www.vh1savethemusic.com), Free The Slaves (www.freetheslaves.net), dedicated to eradicating child slavery around the world; and Free the Children (www.freethechildren.com); the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) (www.sparconline.org); and the health/rehabilitation charities MusiCares® (www.musicares.org) and Life Rolls On (www.liferollson.org), dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury and utilizes action sports as a platform to inspire infinite possibilities despite paralysis.
Mraz has taken his musical journey from coffee houses to stadiums globally and now has two GRAMMY® Awards and six nominations to his credit. The Mraz-penned “I’m Yours” was ASCAP’s 2010 “Song of the Year” and also holds the record for being the longest-running song in the history of the Billboard “Hot 100” chart.
His latest album, “LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD” made a spectacular chart debut upon its release earlier this year, entering the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #2, with first week sales in excess of 325,000 worldwide. What’s more, “I Won’t Give Up,” the album’s blockbuster hit single, has already proven one of Mraz’s most popular, surpassing 2 million in sales in the U.S. and nearing 3 million worldwide. A prolific songwriter, Mraz has been feted with a number of honors, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s esteemed “Hal David Starlight Award,” presented to gifted songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.
In an effort to make sure Jason's fans get first access to tickets and to the best seats at the affordable prices that Jason has set, we are implementing new ticketing practices. The Wiltern will utilize Paperless Ticketing for the seats closest to the stage that are most commonly resold at extravagant premiums by scalpers. Details, policies and a helpful FAQ regarding Paperless Ticketing can be found here.
For more information, please see www.jasonmraz.com and www.atlanticrecords.com.
Among the organizations supported by the Jason Mraz Foundation are True Colors Fund (www.truecolorsfund.org), which promotes the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality; Surfrider Foundation (www.surfrider.org), dedicated to protecting our world’s oceans, beaches, and waves; the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) (www.nrdc.org), which works to protect wildlife and wild places and to ensure a healthy environment for all life on earth; youth organizations VH1 Save The Music Foundation (www.vh1savethemusic.com), Free The Slaves (www.freetheslaves.net), dedicated to eradicating child slavery around the world; and Free the Children (www.freethechildren.com); the School of the Performing Arts in the Richmond Community (SPARC) (www.sparconline.org); and the health/rehabilitation charities MusiCares® (www.musicares.org) and Life Rolls On (www.liferollson.org), dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury and utilizes action sports as a platform to inspire infinite possibilities despite paralysis.
Mraz has taken his musical journey from coffee houses to stadiums globally and now has two GRAMMY® Awards and six nominations to his credit. The Mraz-penned “I’m Yours” was ASCAP’s 2010 “Song of the Year” and also holds the record for being the longest-running song in the history of the Billboard “Hot 100” chart.
His latest album, “LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD” made a spectacular chart debut upon its release earlier this year, entering the SoundScan/Billboard 200 at #2, with first week sales in excess of 325,000 worldwide. What’s more, “I Won’t Give Up,” the album’s blockbuster hit single, has already proven one of Mraz’s most popular, surpassing 2 million in sales in the U.S. and nearing 3 million worldwide. A prolific songwriter, Mraz has been feted with a number of honors, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s esteemed “Hal David Starlight Award,” presented to gifted songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.
In an effort to make sure Jason's fans get first access to tickets and to the best seats at the affordable prices that Jason has set, we are implementing new ticketing practices. The Wiltern will utilize Paperless Ticketing for the seats closest to the stage that are most commonly resold at extravagant premiums by scalpers. Details, policies and a helpful FAQ regarding Paperless Ticketing can be found here.
For more information, please see www.jasonmraz.com and www.atlanticrecords.com.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Kid Ramos benefit concert in Covina Oct. 7
Benefit Concert For So-Cal Blues Guitarist David "Kid" Ramos
Features Star-Studded Lineup From The Blasters to The Blazers & More
Sunday, October 7th, 2012 1-9PM @ Nick's Taste of TX in Covina
Blues Community Rallies For One Of Their Own Recently Diagnosed With
Cancer
The Southern California blues community is coming together for one of its own. ³We Are Our Brothers Keepers² is a benefit for legendary blues guitarist David ³Kid² Ramos recently
diagnosed with cancer. Ramos has lent his guitar chops to trailblazing blues acts including James Harman, the late, great guitarist Hollywood Fats, and with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, before launching a successful solo career with four highly acclaimed CD releases to his credit to date.
The October 7th show features a star-studded lineup of artists, including:
The Blasters, Mike Eldred Trio, Los Fabulocos, The Delgado Brothers, Dale Peterson, The Blazers, Tremoloco, and Miguel Garcia & the Vaquetones.
Where/When: Sunday, October 7th, 2012; 1-9pm at Nick¹s Taste of
Texas, 545 N. Citrus Ave, Covina, CA 626-331-2824; www.nickstasteoftexas.com.
Suggested donation $12.
Cards & Donations: Contributions and get-well cards can be sent to
Kid Ramos in care of Delta Groove Productions, 16501 Sherman Way Suite 100, Van
Nuys, CA. 91406 USA.
About Kid Ramos:
If David "Kid" Ramos had gone into the family business with his mother and step-father, he might be a professional opera singer today; to the eternal thanks of blues fans around the world, Kid decided to march to a different drummer (who was probably playing a swinging shuffle), and became one of the most exciting, powerful blues guitarists in the business. After first
picking up the guitar at age 8, he began playing professionally in his teens.
Just a few years later, Kid was recruited by the seasoned blues road warrior James "Icepick" Harman, in whose band he shared guitar duties, traded licks, and mastered his craft alongside the late, great guitarist Hollywood Fats for the better part of the 1980s. After taking a few years off from the road to devote to his family, Kid came back with a vengeance in the early '90s,
and has only gathered momentum since; after a lengthy stint as the lead guitarist with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, he launched his own solo career, releasing four highly acclaimed CDs to date. Meanwhile, he's continued to work with the cream of the crop of West Coast blues talent on both recordings and on stage, and is a natural fit into the deep and wide talent pool of The Mannish Boys. www.deltagrooveproductions.com
Features Star-Studded Lineup From The Blasters to The Blazers & More
Sunday, October 7th, 2012 1-9PM @ Nick's Taste of TX in Covina
Blues Community Rallies For One Of Their Own Recently Diagnosed With
Cancer
The Southern California blues community is coming together for one of its own. ³We Are Our Brothers Keepers² is a benefit for legendary blues guitarist David ³Kid² Ramos recently
diagnosed with cancer. Ramos has lent his guitar chops to trailblazing blues acts including James Harman, the late, great guitarist Hollywood Fats, and with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, before launching a successful solo career with four highly acclaimed CD releases to his credit to date.
The October 7th show features a star-studded lineup of artists, including:
The Blasters, Mike Eldred Trio, Los Fabulocos, The Delgado Brothers, Dale Peterson, The Blazers, Tremoloco, and Miguel Garcia & the Vaquetones.
Where/When: Sunday, October 7th, 2012; 1-9pm at Nick¹s Taste of
Texas, 545 N. Citrus Ave, Covina, CA 626-331-2824; www.nickstasteoftexas.com.
Suggested donation $12.
Cards & Donations: Contributions and get-well cards can be sent to
Kid Ramos in care of Delta Groove Productions, 16501 Sherman Way Suite 100, Van
Nuys, CA. 91406 USA.
About Kid Ramos:
If David "Kid" Ramos had gone into the family business with his mother and step-father, he might be a professional opera singer today; to the eternal thanks of blues fans around the world, Kid decided to march to a different drummer (who was probably playing a swinging shuffle), and became one of the most exciting, powerful blues guitarists in the business. After first
picking up the guitar at age 8, he began playing professionally in his teens.
Just a few years later, Kid was recruited by the seasoned blues road warrior James "Icepick" Harman, in whose band he shared guitar duties, traded licks, and mastered his craft alongside the late, great guitarist Hollywood Fats for the better part of the 1980s. After taking a few years off from the road to devote to his family, Kid came back with a vengeance in the early '90s,
and has only gathered momentum since; after a lengthy stint as the lead guitarist with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, he launched his own solo career, releasing four highly acclaimed CDs to date. Meanwhile, he's continued to work with the cream of the crop of West Coast blues talent on both recordings and on stage, and is a natural fit into the deep and wide talent pool of The Mannish Boys. www.deltagrooveproductions.com
Celebrating Children benefit Sept. 20 in La Canada Flintridge
A picturesque La Cañada Flintridge residence will serve as an inviting summer backdrop for Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services’ 2012 Celebrating Children Awards Reception on Sept. 20 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The annual fund-raising event honors an individual or family—along with a business—that exemplifies the values of integrity, leadership and commitment to the well-being of children, adults, families, and communities. For more than 100 years, these values have served as the foundation for the compassion and care that each and every child receives at Hathaway-Sycamores. This year's honorees are the Frank Family, longtime Pasadena residents and Llamas Plastics, Inc.
The evening event—which includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction—will be emceed by MUSE/IQUE Artistic Director and Conductor Rachael Worby. The night’s Celebrating Children Individual Award will be presented to the Frank family. Known for their achievements in the culinary world, the Franks founded Lawry’s Foods, Inc., and operate Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc., which today includes the popular dining establishments Five Crowns, Lawry’s Carvery, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, and Tam O’Shanter.
The Frank family’s commitment to fine dining is equaled by their commitment to the well-being of children. Hathaway-Sycamores has been among the fortunate recipients of the Frank’s compassionate commitment, starting in the 1980’s, when matriarch Mary Alice Frank joined the agency’s Board of Directors and went on to chair the Board. The Hathaway-Sycamores’ torch was then passed to Mary Alice’s son, Richard Frank, who is president and chief executive officer of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc. Richard Frank joined Hathaway-Sycamores’ Board in 1990, served as Chair from 1999 to 2001, and was named an Emeritus Board Member in 2002. Beyond their service on Hathaway-Sycamores’ Board, the Frank family has been longtime supporters of several agency fundraisers, including the Shot-at-a-Million Golf Classic and Dinners From the Heart.
The Celebrating Children Business Award will be presented to Llamas Plastics, Inc. Founded in 1978 by Oswaldo “Ozzie” Llamas, Llamas Plastics manufactures windshields, canopies, and other critical components for commercial as well as military aircraft. In addition to its leadership role in the aerospace industry, Llamas Plastics also has forged a leadership role in relation to helping children in need. For more than 20 years, in fact, Llamas Plastics has been playing Santa for the youngsters cared for by Hathaway-Sycamores. In addition to donating hundreds of holiday gifts, Llamas Plastics has actively participated in Hathaway-Sycamores’ Vocational Internship Program (VIP), through which teens who are emancipating from the foster-care system receive support services, including job training.
Thus far, Llamas Plastics has employed six VIP participants. In fact, among those speaking at the upcoming Celebrating Children Awards Reception will be Selenia Lagos. Lagos—who lives in Alta Dena—is a VIP participant who joined Llamas Plastics in March of this year as an office assistant.
Commenting on the Celebrating Children Award recipients, Hathaway-Sycamores’ President and CEO William Martone says, “Without the longstanding support of individuals like the Frank family and businesses such as Llamas Plastics, our organization would not be able to help nearly as many children and families as we do. Both are absolutely deserving of this award, and Hathaway-Sycamores is extremely appreciative of all that they have done.”
This year’s Celebrating Children Awards Reception is co-chaired by La Cañada residents Lisa Freer, Jennifer Jewell, and Jennifer Suh. The event’s Planning Committee includes: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Los Angeles County Chief Deputy Kathryn Barger-Leibrich; and La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Stephen Del Guercio. Event sponsorships—ranging from $350 to $5,000—are available, as are tickets to the event for $100 per person, which includes a cocktail andhors-d'oeuvres reception catered by Lawry's Restaurants. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, contact Andi Sica at (626) 395-7100 ext. 2516 or e-mail andreasica@hathaway-sycamores.org.
The evening event—which includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction—will be emceed by MUSE/IQUE Artistic Director and Conductor Rachael Worby. The night’s Celebrating Children Individual Award will be presented to the Frank family. Known for their achievements in the culinary world, the Franks founded Lawry’s Foods, Inc., and operate Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc., which today includes the popular dining establishments Five Crowns, Lawry’s Carvery, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, and Tam O’Shanter.
The Frank family’s commitment to fine dining is equaled by their commitment to the well-being of children. Hathaway-Sycamores has been among the fortunate recipients of the Frank’s compassionate commitment, starting in the 1980’s, when matriarch Mary Alice Frank joined the agency’s Board of Directors and went on to chair the Board. The Hathaway-Sycamores’ torch was then passed to Mary Alice’s son, Richard Frank, who is president and chief executive officer of Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc. Richard Frank joined Hathaway-Sycamores’ Board in 1990, served as Chair from 1999 to 2001, and was named an Emeritus Board Member in 2002. Beyond their service on Hathaway-Sycamores’ Board, the Frank family has been longtime supporters of several agency fundraisers, including the Shot-at-a-Million Golf Classic and Dinners From the Heart.
The Celebrating Children Business Award will be presented to Llamas Plastics, Inc. Founded in 1978 by Oswaldo “Ozzie” Llamas, Llamas Plastics manufactures windshields, canopies, and other critical components for commercial as well as military aircraft. In addition to its leadership role in the aerospace industry, Llamas Plastics also has forged a leadership role in relation to helping children in need. For more than 20 years, in fact, Llamas Plastics has been playing Santa for the youngsters cared for by Hathaway-Sycamores. In addition to donating hundreds of holiday gifts, Llamas Plastics has actively participated in Hathaway-Sycamores’ Vocational Internship Program (VIP), through which teens who are emancipating from the foster-care system receive support services, including job training.
Thus far, Llamas Plastics has employed six VIP participants. In fact, among those speaking at the upcoming Celebrating Children Awards Reception will be Selenia Lagos. Lagos—who lives in Alta Dena—is a VIP participant who joined Llamas Plastics in March of this year as an office assistant.
Commenting on the Celebrating Children Award recipients, Hathaway-Sycamores’ President and CEO William Martone says, “Without the longstanding support of individuals like the Frank family and businesses such as Llamas Plastics, our organization would not be able to help nearly as many children and families as we do. Both are absolutely deserving of this award, and Hathaway-Sycamores is extremely appreciative of all that they have done.”
This year’s Celebrating Children Awards Reception is co-chaired by La Cañada residents Lisa Freer, Jennifer Jewell, and Jennifer Suh. The event’s Planning Committee includes: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Los Angeles County Chief Deputy Kathryn Barger-Leibrich; and La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Stephen Del Guercio. Event sponsorships—ranging from $350 to $5,000—are available, as are tickets to the event for $100 per person, which includes a cocktail andhors-d'oeuvres reception catered by Lawry's Restaurants. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, contact Andi Sica at (626) 395-7100 ext. 2516 or e-mail andreasica@hathaway-sycamores.org.
Sleepy Bear Swap at LA Zoo Sept. 15
Local children are getting a free day of fun at the Los Angeles Zoo on Saturday, September 15, 2012, along with new teddy bears and more thanks to “Travelodge’s The Great Sleepy Bear Swap.”
The special one-day event invites children and their families to bring a gently-used stuffed animal to the zoo to donate to charity in exchange for one free kid’s admission and a brand new Sleepy Bear teddy bear.
While free admission is limited to the first 100 children who bring a donation, everyone at the zoo is able to participate in fun-filled activities including face painting and drawing contests along with giveaways such as bear temporary tattoos, National Geographic activity books and Sleepy Bear masks. A keeper from the zoo will also be on hand to educate children about bears and the role they play in the wild.
“For over 75 years, the Travelodge hotel brand has been delivering memorable experiences and giving back to the communities where our hotels are located,” said Mark Young, Travelodge brand senior vice president. “With Travelodge’s The Great Sleepy Bear Swap, we’re continuing both of these great traditions while giving everyone in the Los Angeles area a chance to come out and say hi to Sleepy Bear, our beloved mascot.”
Stuffed animals gathered from the events will be donated to Stuffed Animals for Emergencies (S.A.F.E.), a national organization that cleans and redistributes the toys to children in need. For every stuffed animal donated at the event. In addition, the Travelodge hotel brand will match it with a donation of three brand new Sleepy Bear teddy bears to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, up to 1,500 bears. Starlight is the signature charity of Travelodge and parent company Wyndham Hotel Group.
“For many children, the gift of a stuffed animal is a simple gesture that can help brighten their day, especially when you’re talking about children facing severe illness and other hardships,” said Young. “Starlight and S.A.F.E. are both organizations that do great work with children across the country and we’re delighted to be able to support them through these events.”
Young also announced that the Travelodge brand would make a $10,000 donation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in support of black bear conservation.
This is the third of five events to be hosted by Travelodge at zoos across America, with two more scheduled to take place in Miami and San Francisco by mid-October. Previous locations included The Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia, Penn. and The Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Texas. Additional details, including dates and times for all upcoming events, are available at www.Travelodge.com.
The special one-day event invites children and their families to bring a gently-used stuffed animal to the zoo to donate to charity in exchange for one free kid’s admission and a brand new Sleepy Bear teddy bear.
While free admission is limited to the first 100 children who bring a donation, everyone at the zoo is able to participate in fun-filled activities including face painting and drawing contests along with giveaways such as bear temporary tattoos, National Geographic activity books and Sleepy Bear masks. A keeper from the zoo will also be on hand to educate children about bears and the role they play in the wild.
“For over 75 years, the Travelodge hotel brand has been delivering memorable experiences and giving back to the communities where our hotels are located,” said Mark Young, Travelodge brand senior vice president. “With Travelodge’s The Great Sleepy Bear Swap, we’re continuing both of these great traditions while giving everyone in the Los Angeles area a chance to come out and say hi to Sleepy Bear, our beloved mascot.”
Stuffed animals gathered from the events will be donated to Stuffed Animals for Emergencies (S.A.F.E.), a national organization that cleans and redistributes the toys to children in need. For every stuffed animal donated at the event. In addition, the Travelodge hotel brand will match it with a donation of three brand new Sleepy Bear teddy bears to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, up to 1,500 bears. Starlight is the signature charity of Travelodge and parent company Wyndham Hotel Group.
“For many children, the gift of a stuffed animal is a simple gesture that can help brighten their day, especially when you’re talking about children facing severe illness and other hardships,” said Young. “Starlight and S.A.F.E. are both organizations that do great work with children across the country and we’re delighted to be able to support them through these events.”
Young also announced that the Travelodge brand would make a $10,000 donation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in support of black bear conservation.
This is the third of five events to be hosted by Travelodge at zoos across America, with two more scheduled to take place in Miami and San Francisco by mid-October. Previous locations included The Philadelphia Zoo in Philadelphia, Penn. and The Fort Worth Zoo in Fort Worth, Texas. Additional details, including dates and times for all upcoming events, are available at www.Travelodge.com.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
CeeLo Green launches educational charity with sister
In the words of Kermit the Frog, “It’s not easy being green.” But, Grammy Award Winning artist CeeLo Green and his sister Shedonna Alexander have together co-founded the GreenHouse Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to help make “green education” easier and accessible to students in underserved school districts. The GreenHouse Foundation will educate, inspire and influence children to become responsible stewards of their environment, communities and future.
Officially launching on August 17th in Atlanta, GA, this sibling team will dedicate their first “teaching GreenHouse” in memory of their late mother Sheila J. Callaway Tyler. The dedication will take place on the campus of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a “GreenHouse School Partner”, where CeeLo attended elementary school. (Please see Media Alert below for more details.)
The GreenHouse Foundation is an extension of CeeLo and Shedonna’s long family legacy of philanthropy. They grew up surrounded by great role models – their maternal grandmother Ruby Callaway Robinson and mother Sheila J. Callaway Tyler. Ruby started a nationally recognized non-profit organization “Comprehensive Auxiliary for Southwest Community on Alcohol and Drug Education” (CASCADE) that focused on drug-prevention and education in underprivileged communities. She initiated the nationwide “Just Say No” kids march in May 1986, which drew over five million participants and achieved broad and tremendous support, including recognition from former First Lady Nancy Reagan and Soliel Moon Fry aka “Punkie Brewster”. Their late mother Sheila followed in her mother’s footsteps, serving as one of the first female firefighters with the Atlanta Fire Department, plus years of other volunteer work throughout the community.
The youth are our future leaders, so CeeLo and Shedonna recognize the importance of empowering children to love and protect the planet. As a result, the GreenHouse Foundation’s first initiative is the “Green Garden Education Program,” which will offer schools an opportunity to become "GreenHouse School Partners” and start making their green footprint. Through this program, the GreenHouse Foundation will build outdoor green gardens on campuses and introduce “green education” into their everyday curriculum, teaching children the importance of “being green”.
“The Green Garden program will use outdoor gardening as an innovative tool to teach math and science. It will allow students to experience a new approach to “green education,” states co-founder Shedonna Alexander. “We are committed to the mission to empower children with the knowledge, attitude and desire to positively influence their futures, their communities and the long-term sustainability of their planet.”
The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension service for Atlanta’s Fulton County is playing a key role in the GreenHouse Foundation’s education and community outreach. UGA Cooperative Extension extends lifelong learning to the people of Georgia through unbiased, research-based education in agriculture, the environment, communities, youth and families. As part of the GreenHouse School Partnership and Green Garden Education Program, they are providing curriculum support through their agricultural and family sciences programs.
“Through the Green Garden Education Program, the GreenHouse Foundation is supporting schools with the tools, curriculum, and resources necessary to create and maintain an outdoor ‘teaching garden’. With the garden as the primary focus, children will learn the fundamentals of gardening along with the health and environmental benefits of growing their own produce. Children will also learn how to start and manage their own school farmers market,” explains co-founder CeeLo Green. “The hands of our children will help feed those in need, like the homeless or elderly who live in ‘grocery deserts’ with no access to fresh produce.”
In the future, the GreenHouse Foundation plans to launch other initiatives such as “The School Waste Diversion Initiative”, which will provide schools with waste receptacles to divert non-biodegradable waste from local landfills and create a local competition among the schools. Annually on Earth Day, they will start “The Clean Atlanta Green Day” to unify the city’s local businesses, schools and government officials to collectively clean up the City of Atlanta. Another key initiative will be the launch of “The GreenHouse Community Gardens Program”, which will take the concept of their on-campus “school gardens” to the next level by adopting land around Atlanta to develop organic community gardens maintained by volunteers. Additionally, the GreenHouse Foundation will also create a “Green Collar Career Development & Training Program” that will introduce and educate students on jobs that impact our environment. As the foundation grows larger, it will also offer students the opportunity to earn the “Green Career College Scholarship” based on academic performance. Teach Green, See Green, Live Green – GreenHouse Foundation.
GET SOCIAL WITH GREENHOUSE FOUNDATION
Official Website: www.GHFoundation.org
Twitter: @GreenHouseFound / http://bit.ly/Rmp1kD
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/RulNf0
Officially launching on August 17th in Atlanta, GA, this sibling team will dedicate their first “teaching GreenHouse” in memory of their late mother Sheila J. Callaway Tyler. The dedication will take place on the campus of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, a “GreenHouse School Partner”, where CeeLo attended elementary school. (Please see Media Alert below for more details.)
The GreenHouse Foundation is an extension of CeeLo and Shedonna’s long family legacy of philanthropy. They grew up surrounded by great role models – their maternal grandmother Ruby Callaway Robinson and mother Sheila J. Callaway Tyler. Ruby started a nationally recognized non-profit organization “Comprehensive Auxiliary for Southwest Community on Alcohol and Drug Education” (CASCADE) that focused on drug-prevention and education in underprivileged communities. She initiated the nationwide “Just Say No” kids march in May 1986, which drew over five million participants and achieved broad and tremendous support, including recognition from former First Lady Nancy Reagan and Soliel Moon Fry aka “Punkie Brewster”. Their late mother Sheila followed in her mother’s footsteps, serving as one of the first female firefighters with the Atlanta Fire Department, plus years of other volunteer work throughout the community.
The youth are our future leaders, so CeeLo and Shedonna recognize the importance of empowering children to love and protect the planet. As a result, the GreenHouse Foundation’s first initiative is the “Green Garden Education Program,” which will offer schools an opportunity to become "GreenHouse School Partners” and start making their green footprint. Through this program, the GreenHouse Foundation will build outdoor green gardens on campuses and introduce “green education” into their everyday curriculum, teaching children the importance of “being green”.
“The Green Garden program will use outdoor gardening as an innovative tool to teach math and science. It will allow students to experience a new approach to “green education,” states co-founder Shedonna Alexander. “We are committed to the mission to empower children with the knowledge, attitude and desire to positively influence their futures, their communities and the long-term sustainability of their planet.”
The University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension service for Atlanta’s Fulton County is playing a key role in the GreenHouse Foundation’s education and community outreach. UGA Cooperative Extension extends lifelong learning to the people of Georgia through unbiased, research-based education in agriculture, the environment, communities, youth and families. As part of the GreenHouse School Partnership and Green Garden Education Program, they are providing curriculum support through their agricultural and family sciences programs.
“Through the Green Garden Education Program, the GreenHouse Foundation is supporting schools with the tools, curriculum, and resources necessary to create and maintain an outdoor ‘teaching garden’. With the garden as the primary focus, children will learn the fundamentals of gardening along with the health and environmental benefits of growing their own produce. Children will also learn how to start and manage their own school farmers market,” explains co-founder CeeLo Green. “The hands of our children will help feed those in need, like the homeless or elderly who live in ‘grocery deserts’ with no access to fresh produce.”
In the future, the GreenHouse Foundation plans to launch other initiatives such as “The School Waste Diversion Initiative”, which will provide schools with waste receptacles to divert non-biodegradable waste from local landfills and create a local competition among the schools. Annually on Earth Day, they will start “The Clean Atlanta Green Day” to unify the city’s local businesses, schools and government officials to collectively clean up the City of Atlanta. Another key initiative will be the launch of “The GreenHouse Community Gardens Program”, which will take the concept of their on-campus “school gardens” to the next level by adopting land around Atlanta to develop organic community gardens maintained by volunteers. Additionally, the GreenHouse Foundation will also create a “Green Collar Career Development & Training Program” that will introduce and educate students on jobs that impact our environment. As the foundation grows larger, it will also offer students the opportunity to earn the “Green Career College Scholarship” based on academic performance. Teach Green, See Green, Live Green – GreenHouse Foundation.
GET SOCIAL WITH GREENHOUSE FOUNDATION
Official Website: www.GHFoundation.org
Twitter: @GreenHouseFound / http://bit.ly/Rmp1kD
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/RulNf0
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Twilight in the Zoo Sept. 8 in LA
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) presents "TWILIGHT IN THE ZOO," a once-a-year after-hours evening for GLAZA members at the Contributing Associate level and above ($250 per family) on Saturday, September 8, 2012, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at the Los Angeles Zoo. The evening includes an opportunity to learn about many of the Zoo's animals on a docent-led walking tour, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, and crafts for adults and youngsters.
GLAZA's Contributing Associate-level membership, which is $250 per family, features a variety of benefits including unlimited free admission for up to three adults and the family's own children and/or grandchildren ages 2 to 17, additional guest passes, Safari Shuttle and Choo Choo Train passes, concierge for VIP requests, exclusive early access to events, 10% discount in shops, restaurants and for lectures and educational programs, free or discounted admission to more than 170 zoos and aquariums around the country, a variety of members-only events and much more.
Membership in the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association supports the Los Angeles Zoo. For nearly five decades, GLAZA, founded in 1963, has funded exhibits, plant and animal species conservation, capital projects, and education and community outreach programs at the Los Angeles Zoo, an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. GLAZA also builds and invests endowment funds and operates five essential departments on behalf of the Zoo, including development, publications, membership, volunteers and oversight of the Zoo's food/retail concessions. There are currently 73,000 GLAZA member households representing more than 300,000 adults and children, the largest membership base of a cultural organization in Los Angeles, and a volunteer corps of over 700.
The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.
To receive an invitation to "TWILIGHT AT THE ZOO" by joining GLAZA or upgrading an existing GLAZA membership to the Contributing Associate level, please call (323) 644-4751.
GLAZA's Contributing Associate-level membership, which is $250 per family, features a variety of benefits including unlimited free admission for up to three adults and the family's own children and/or grandchildren ages 2 to 17, additional guest passes, Safari Shuttle and Choo Choo Train passes, concierge for VIP requests, exclusive early access to events, 10% discount in shops, restaurants and for lectures and educational programs, free or discounted admission to more than 170 zoos and aquariums around the country, a variety of members-only events and much more.
Membership in the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association supports the Los Angeles Zoo. For nearly five decades, GLAZA, founded in 1963, has funded exhibits, plant and animal species conservation, capital projects, and education and community outreach programs at the Los Angeles Zoo, an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. GLAZA also builds and invests endowment funds and operates five essential departments on behalf of the Zoo, including development, publications, membership, volunteers and oversight of the Zoo's food/retail concessions. There are currently 73,000 GLAZA member households representing more than 300,000 adults and children, the largest membership base of a cultural organization in Los Angeles, and a volunteer corps of over 700.
The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.
To receive an invitation to "TWILIGHT AT THE ZOO" by joining GLAZA or upgrading an existing GLAZA membership to the Contributing Associate level, please call (323) 644-4751.
Twilight in the Zoo Sept. 8 in LA
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA) presents "TWILIGHT IN THE ZOO," a once-a-year after-hours evening for GLAZA members at the Contributing Associate level and above ($250 per family) on Saturday, September 8, 2012, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at the Los Angeles Zoo. The evening includes an opportunity to learn about many of the Zoo's animals on a docent-led walking tour, complimentary hors d'oeuvres, and crafts for adults and youngsters.
GLAZA's Contributing Associate-level membership, which is $250 per family, features a variety of benefits including unlimited free admission for up to three adults and the family's own children and/or grandchildren ages 2 to 17, additional guest passes, Safari Shuttle and Choo Choo Train passes, concierge for VIP requests, exclusive early access to events, 10% discount in shops, restaurants and for lectures and educational programs, free or discounted admission to more than 170 zoos and aquariums around the country, a variety of members-only events and much more.
Membership in the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association supports the Los Angeles Zoo. For nearly five decades, GLAZA, founded in 1963, has funded exhibits, plant and animal species conservation, capital projects, and education and community outreach programs at the Los Angeles Zoo, an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. GLAZA also builds and invests endowment funds and operates five essential departments on behalf of the Zoo, including development, publications, membership, volunteers and oversight of the Zoo's food/retail concessions. There are currently 73,000 GLAZA member households representing more than 300,000 adults and children, the largest membership base of a cultural organization in Los Angeles, and a volunteer corps of over 700.
The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.
To receive an invitation to "TWILIGHT AT THE ZOO" by joining GLAZA or upgrading an existing GLAZA membership to the Contributing Associate level, please call (323) 644-4751.
GLAZA's Contributing Associate-level membership, which is $250 per family, features a variety of benefits including unlimited free admission for up to three adults and the family's own children and/or grandchildren ages 2 to 17, additional guest passes, Safari Shuttle and Choo Choo Train passes, concierge for VIP requests, exclusive early access to events, 10% discount in shops, restaurants and for lectures and educational programs, free or discounted admission to more than 170 zoos and aquariums around the country, a variety of members-only events and much more.
Membership in the private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association supports the Los Angeles Zoo. For nearly five decades, GLAZA, founded in 1963, has funded exhibits, plant and animal species conservation, capital projects, and education and community outreach programs at the Los Angeles Zoo, an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. GLAZA also builds and invests endowment funds and operates five essential departments on behalf of the Zoo, including development, publications, membership, volunteers and oversight of the Zoo's food/retail concessions. There are currently 73,000 GLAZA member households representing more than 300,000 adults and children, the largest membership base of a cultural organization in Los Angeles, and a volunteer corps of over 700.
The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.
To receive an invitation to "TWILIGHT AT THE ZOO" by joining GLAZA or upgrading an existing GLAZA membership to the Contributing Associate level, please call (323) 644-4751.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
After the Wizard show benefit for The Jeffrey Foundation in Encino Aug. 12
After the Wizard has teamed up with The Jeffrey Foundation's "Circle of Love" Support Group to present a special benefit screening of the film. This screening kicks off the "Circle of Love" Million Dollar Celebrity Challenge, a new campaign the foundation has begun to address current government budgeting shortfalls that have negatively affected all childcare centers in California, including the Jeffrey Foundation.
After the Wizard, based on characters in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, tells the story of a 12-year-old Kansas orphan and a mutual friendship that has continued since Dorothy left Oz. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow make a comeback as they seek Dorothy’s help and set out on an unforgettable adventure to Kansas.
WHO:
After the Wizard stars Jordan Van Vranken who recently appeared in the Cameron Diaz comedy Bad Teacher. The film also stars Jermel Nakia as the Scarecrow, Orien Richman as the Tin Woodman, P. David Mitchell as the Lion, Peter Mark Richman as Charles Samuel Williams, Helen Richman as Mrs. Murphy, Loren Lester as Dr. Edwards, and Susan Giosa as Ms. Thomson. This is the first feature film directed and written by Hugh Gross. The film stars Jeffrey Foundation members, Peter Mark and Helen Richman.
WHEN:
5:30 PM, Sunday, August 12.
WHERE:
Laemmle Town Center, 17200 Ventura Boulevard, Encino 91316
TICKETS:
Tickets are $11 for adults; $8 for children under 12 and seniors over 62
Call (323) 965-7536 to reserve seating; don’t forget to mention The Jeffrey Foundation.
MORE:
The Jeffrey Foundation, celebrating its 40th year in Los Angeles, is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of special needs children and their families through the development of community-based therapeutic, recreational, educational, and social programs. The dedicated people at The Jeffrey Foundation work with every child individually so that they reach their full potential. For more information on the Jeffrey Foundation or questions about this event, please visit http://www.thejeffreyfoundation.com/ or email them at info@thejeffreyfoundation.com.
After the Wizard, based on characters in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, tells the story of a 12-year-old Kansas orphan and a mutual friendship that has continued since Dorothy left Oz. The Tin Woodman and the Scarecrow make a comeback as they seek Dorothy’s help and set out on an unforgettable adventure to Kansas.
WHO:
After the Wizard stars Jordan Van Vranken who recently appeared in the Cameron Diaz comedy Bad Teacher. The film also stars Jermel Nakia as the Scarecrow, Orien Richman as the Tin Woodman, P. David Mitchell as the Lion, Peter Mark Richman as Charles Samuel Williams, Helen Richman as Mrs. Murphy, Loren Lester as Dr. Edwards, and Susan Giosa as Ms. Thomson. This is the first feature film directed and written by Hugh Gross. The film stars Jeffrey Foundation members, Peter Mark and Helen Richman.
WHEN:
5:30 PM, Sunday, August 12.
WHERE:
Laemmle Town Center, 17200 Ventura Boulevard, Encino 91316
TICKETS:
Tickets are $11 for adults; $8 for children under 12 and seniors over 62
Call (323) 965-7536 to reserve seating; don’t forget to mention The Jeffrey Foundation.
MORE:
The Jeffrey Foundation, celebrating its 40th year in Los Angeles, is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the lives of special needs children and their families through the development of community-based therapeutic, recreational, educational, and social programs. The dedicated people at The Jeffrey Foundation work with every child individually so that they reach their full potential. For more information on the Jeffrey Foundation or questions about this event, please visit http://www.thejeffreyfoundation.com/ or email them at info@thejeffreyfoundation.com.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Benefit for vintage racer Brady Walker Aug. 4 in Venice
Let's all help Brady get back on two wheels!
Those of you that know VVMC member Brady Walker, know that he's been racing on the AHRMA racing circuit this year.
You may also know that he recently went down on the 10 Freeway and broke his collar bone.
Doctors told Brady to hang up his racing leathers. His response..."F*CK THAT!"
His goal is to be back on the track, just 2 short months after his wreck. Here's how you can help and have a kickass time doing it.
Vintage Racing Benefit
Beyond Baroque
Saturday, August 4th
681 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
8PM - Midnight
$20 Donation at the Door gets you:
Open bar: Cocktails, Pabst, Stone Brewing, Primo Beer
Open grub provided by Pitfire Pizza
Vintage Moto Films
Live Music by:
The Venice Street Legends
The Rocking Scoundrels &
Robert Patrick and the Flood
Raffle - Free ticket with entry! (Raffle prizes to be announced as they come in).
Made possible through the support of:
Deus Ex Machina
Pitfire Pizza
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club
Come help raise money for the racing effort and healing of broken bones.
Those of you that know VVMC member Brady Walker, know that he's been racing on the AHRMA racing circuit this year.
You may also know that he recently went down on the 10 Freeway and broke his collar bone.
Doctors told Brady to hang up his racing leathers. His response..."F*CK THAT!"
His goal is to be back on the track, just 2 short months after his wreck. Here's how you can help and have a kickass time doing it.
Vintage Racing Benefit
Beyond Baroque
Saturday, August 4th
681 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291
8PM - Midnight
$20 Donation at the Door gets you:
Open bar: Cocktails, Pabst, Stone Brewing, Primo Beer
Open grub provided by Pitfire Pizza
Vintage Moto Films
Live Music by:
The Venice Street Legends
The Rocking Scoundrels &
Robert Patrick and the Flood
Raffle - Free ticket with entry! (Raffle prizes to be announced as they come in).
Made possible through the support of:
Deus Ex Machina
Pitfire Pizza
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Venice Vintage Motorcycle Club
Come help raise money for the racing effort and healing of broken bones.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Listen for Life to present concerts on Peace Day
Listen for Life, an organization created for the preservation and advancement of musical culture around the globe, is honored to brings its innovative energy and world-renowned musicians to Southern California to celebrate this year’s U.N. International Peace Day. A relationship which began three years ago between the U.N. organizations in Geneva and Listen for Life to create special music events that would raise awareness of U.N. International Peace Day, has blossomed each year.
This year’s offerings in Southern California are the latest of a string of performances
Listen for Life has produced, and continues the momentum of successful 2010 and 2011 Peace Day concerts in Bosnia, Croatia, the UK, Kenya, as well as the United States. Beginning September 21 Listen for Life will present four cross-cultural events at four unique venues throughout the LA-metro area. Currently, scheduled Peace Day events will take place at the following venues: the kickoff event will take place at the renowned World Cup Soccer Center of Mission Viejo on Sept 21, followed by Point Fermin Park, San Pedro, overlooking the Pacific ocean on Sept 23, followed by the stunning Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood (Sept 27) and rounding out the festival at the Ramona Bowl’s natural amphitheater in Hemet, CA on Sept 29th.
Performers at the Peace Day-inspired events include past Emmy, Oscar and Grammy award winners and represent master-musicians of nine world cultures, performing on a total of seventeen unique instruments. Plus, it marks the debut of the Listen for Life All-Star Band. The band will feature members of many other well-known bands performing together for the first time.
These world-renowned musicians are scheduled to appear at the Peace Day events:
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo (dan Bau, dan Tranh, Trung) [Vietnam]
Ashwin Batish (sitar) and
Keshav Batish(tabla) [India]
Winnie Wong (guzheng) [China]
Faisal Zedan (percussion) [Syria]
Naser Musa (oud) [Palestine]
Rumen Sali Shopov (tambura) [Bulgaria]
Diana Rowan (harp) [Celtic/Eastern Europe]
Ricardo Garcia (voice) [Latino]
Donna Stoering (piano) [Western Classical]
Sonja Bruzauskas (voice)
Debut of Listen for Life’s All-Star Blues Band:
Teddy Andreadis (keys,harmonica) [Guns N' Roses, Carole King, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley]
Butch Taylor (keys) [Dave Matthews Band]
James East (bass) [Eric Clapton, Lionel Richie, Sergio Mendes]
Ant Glynne (guitar) [Asia, Albert Collins ,Rick Wakeman]
Andy Andrus (guitar) [Billy Preston, John Lee Hooker, Greg Douglass]
Joe Manno (drums) [the band Norway]
The Four Peace Day Musicfest Locations and their addresses/times:
World Cup Soccer Center in Mission Viejo Friday September 21st, 5:30pm (PT) onward
World Cup Soccer Center, 27301 La Paz Rd, Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Point Fermin Park in San Pedro, LA County, Sunday September 23rd, 2pm (PT) onward
Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731
Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, Thursday September 27th, 7pm (PT)
Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068
Ramona Bowl Amphitheater in Hemet, Saturday September 29th, 7pm (PT)
Ramona Bowl Amphitheater, 27400 Ramona Bowl Road, Hemet, CA 92544
The events are currently being sponsored by Travels with Music and music instrument manufacturer, REMO, with additional sponsorships currently being pursued. For all information about the Listen for Life Music Fest go to www.listenforlife.org/peaceday or call 510-540-8136.
This year’s offerings in Southern California are the latest of a string of performances
Listen for Life has produced, and continues the momentum of successful 2010 and 2011 Peace Day concerts in Bosnia, Croatia, the UK, Kenya, as well as the United States. Beginning September 21 Listen for Life will present four cross-cultural events at four unique venues throughout the LA-metro area. Currently, scheduled Peace Day events will take place at the following venues: the kickoff event will take place at the renowned World Cup Soccer Center of Mission Viejo on Sept 21, followed by Point Fermin Park, San Pedro, overlooking the Pacific ocean on Sept 23, followed by the stunning Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood (Sept 27) and rounding out the festival at the Ramona Bowl’s natural amphitheater in Hemet, CA on Sept 29th.
Performers at the Peace Day-inspired events include past Emmy, Oscar and Grammy award winners and represent master-musicians of nine world cultures, performing on a total of seventeen unique instruments. Plus, it marks the debut of the Listen for Life All-Star Band. The band will feature members of many other well-known bands performing together for the first time.
These world-renowned musicians are scheduled to appear at the Peace Day events:
Van-Anh Vanessa Vo (dan Bau, dan Tranh, Trung) [Vietnam]
Ashwin Batish (sitar) and
Keshav Batish(tabla) [India]
Winnie Wong (guzheng) [China]
Faisal Zedan (percussion) [Syria]
Naser Musa (oud) [Palestine]
Rumen Sali Shopov (tambura) [Bulgaria]
Diana Rowan (harp) [Celtic/Eastern Europe]
Ricardo Garcia (voice) [Latino]
Donna Stoering (piano) [Western Classical]
Sonja Bruzauskas (voice)
Debut of Listen for Life’s All-Star Blues Band:
Teddy Andreadis (keys,harmonica) [Guns N' Roses, Carole King, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley]
Butch Taylor (keys) [Dave Matthews Band]
James East (bass) [Eric Clapton, Lionel Richie, Sergio Mendes]
Ant Glynne (guitar) [Asia, Albert Collins ,Rick Wakeman]
Andy Andrus (guitar) [Billy Preston, John Lee Hooker, Greg Douglass]
Joe Manno (drums) [the band Norway]
The Four Peace Day Musicfest Locations and their addresses/times:
World Cup Soccer Center in Mission Viejo Friday September 21st, 5:30pm (PT) onward
World Cup Soccer Center, 27301 La Paz Rd, Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Point Fermin Park in San Pedro, LA County, Sunday September 23rd, 2pm (PT) onward
Point Fermin Park, 807 Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731
Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, Thursday September 27th, 7pm (PT)
Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068
Ramona Bowl Amphitheater in Hemet, Saturday September 29th, 7pm (PT)
Ramona Bowl Amphitheater, 27400 Ramona Bowl Road, Hemet, CA 92544
The events are currently being sponsored by Travels with Music and music instrument manufacturer, REMO, with additional sponsorships currently being pursued. For all information about the Listen for Life Music Fest go to www.listenforlife.org/peaceday or call 510-540-8136.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Reel Big Fish reaches out to Aurora shooting victims
A Message From Reel Big Fish:
Last Thursday night, Reel Big Fish played to an amazing Denver crowd. The night was buzzing with positive energy as the last notes of the horns blared and the audience poured into the dark to head home. Little did we all know; right down the street, a tragedy of unspeakable horror was unfolding, in Aurora. Because of the love that Denver always shows us, we would like to do what we can for the friends and families of the victims. Proceeds from our show at the Belly-up in Aspen, CO last Friday July 20 will go to The Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. Our booking agency, The Agency Group will also be making a donation. If you wish to donate or learn more about the organization visit www.coloradocrimevictims.org. All our love goes out to the people of Denver in this time of sorrow. Music and dancing is good medicine. Be with friends and boogie!
Much love,
Reel Big Fish
For more information:
www.reel-big-fish.com
www.facebook.com/ReelBigFish
Last Thursday night, Reel Big Fish played to an amazing Denver crowd. The night was buzzing with positive energy as the last notes of the horns blared and the audience poured into the dark to head home. Little did we all know; right down the street, a tragedy of unspeakable horror was unfolding, in Aurora. Because of the love that Denver always shows us, we would like to do what we can for the friends and families of the victims. Proceeds from our show at the Belly-up in Aspen, CO last Friday July 20 will go to The Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. Our booking agency, The Agency Group will also be making a donation. If you wish to donate or learn more about the organization visit www.coloradocrimevictims.org. All our love goes out to the people of Denver in this time of sorrow. Music and dancing is good medicine. Be with friends and boogie!
Much love,
Reel Big Fish
For more information:
www.reel-big-fish.com
www.facebook.com/ReelBigFish
Orange County Blues Society concert in Fullerton Aug. 16
The recently-formed Orange County Blues Society presents its first-ever concert event - "The Muck Blues Roots Festival" - under the stars at the scenic outdoor Muckenthaler Cultural Center, 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton, Thursday, August 16. 8 p.m. Advance tickets available at www.orangecountybluessociety.com or through the Muckenthaler (www.themuck.org ). Info: (714) 328-9375 or (714) 738-6595. Portion of proceeds to benefit San Diego-based Better Vision For Children Foundation, a non-profit charity working to prevent and cure partial or total blindness in pre-school children resulting from Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Autisim, Diabetes or Eye Cancer.
Artists scheduled to perform include "The Brooklyn Bluesman," acoustic guitarist-vocalist Calvin B. Streets; "Mistress Of the Blues," bassist-vocalist Randa Lee and Friends; L.A. blues-rock trio, The Hellhounds; and teenage trio blues upstarts, the Chase Walker Band featuring 13-year-old Chase Walker on guitar and vocals.
The Orange County Blues Society was formed this past Spring by musician Papa J, who also created the Real Blues Festival of Orange County. "The Orange County Blues Society was formed in 2012 as a public benefit corporation to keep the Blues alive. Its purpose is the education, presentation and preservation of Blues music as an original American art form for the next generation through teaching, publications, festivals and concerts.... The Blues Society's purpose is to promote, preserve and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an American Art form, and to help local blues artists get the attention needed to keep the blues alive. The Orange County Blues Society is focused on providing high-quality music and member satisfaction - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations."
www.orangecountybluessociety.com
Artists scheduled to perform include "The Brooklyn Bluesman," acoustic guitarist-vocalist Calvin B. Streets; "Mistress Of the Blues," bassist-vocalist Randa Lee and Friends; L.A. blues-rock trio, The Hellhounds; and teenage trio blues upstarts, the Chase Walker Band featuring 13-year-old Chase Walker on guitar and vocals.
The Orange County Blues Society was formed this past Spring by musician Papa J, who also created the Real Blues Festival of Orange County. "The Orange County Blues Society was formed in 2012 as a public benefit corporation to keep the Blues alive. Its purpose is the education, presentation and preservation of Blues music as an original American art form for the next generation through teaching, publications, festivals and concerts.... The Blues Society's purpose is to promote, preserve and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an American Art form, and to help local blues artists get the attention needed to keep the blues alive. The Orange County Blues Society is focused on providing high-quality music and member satisfaction - we will do everything we can to meet your expectations."
www.orangecountybluessociety.com
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Benni Cinnkle's new song to benefit Children of the Night
Watch the New Lyric video on J-14.com, here: http://bit.ly/BenniJ14
Purchase "Gotta Get Out" on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout
Read The New York Times feature on Benni: http://nyti.ms/KKju5d
Benni Cinkle's Official Huffington Post Blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/benni-cinkle
Benni Cinkle, also known as "That Girl in Pink" from Rebecca Black's "Friday" music video, has teamed up with MTV's ACT blog to premiere her much anticipated new music video for "Gotta Get Out" today, Thursday, July 12th. Check it out here: http://on.mtv.com/MmnR3X. "Gotta Get Out" is available now on iTunes and Benni is donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity organization she supports, Children of the Night. Purchase "Gotta Get Out," here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout
MTV Act is MTV's blog that celebrates young people and celebrities taking action to make things better in the world, a perfect fit for Benni, the 15-year-old founder of the anti-bullying non-profit organization, ThatGirlInPink.org ! Benni traveled to Hollywood, New York City and Paris to shoot her upcoming music video - inspiring young people to chase their dreams no matter how far fetched they seem.
Children of the Night Founder and President, Dr. Lois Lee, spoke on Benni's generous donation to their worthy cause explaining that "Benni embodies the spirit, the guts and the tenacity required for an individual to change the world."
Benni's new single, "Gotta Get Out" is about feeling different from everyone else and longing to escape the life others expect you to live. "A lot of kids feel like they're trapped at home," Benni says. "I want to tell those kids it's okay. You can be what you want to be. Really, what my non-profit is all about is that there is hope and there is always something to look forward to." Behind the scenes footage from Benni's music video can be seen here: www.youtube.com/imthatgirlinpink.
This will be a follow up to Benni's first single, "Can You See Me Now" which she recorded after rising to unexpected Internet fame after appearing in "Friday." At first, Benni was ridiculed by millions around the world for her awkward dancing in the viral video, often referred to as "That girl in pink that can't dance." At the time, only 13 years old, Benni realized she had been gifted a platform that offered international reach, and decided to use her fame for something positive.
In 2010, inspired by the stories she read on SixBillionSecrets.com, Benni wrote "Can You See Me Now" for teens dealing with bullying, abuse, depression, and self-harm. She never thought anything would come of it and tucked it away in a drawer. After the attention from "Friday," Benni thought it was time to release the single and donate the proceeds to charities that help teens like To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) and Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Benni's first single was added by over 30 radio stations, spun over 1200 times and charted at No. 30 in DJ Times. For more details about Benni Cinkle's new single, "Gotta Get Out" and her non-profit, That Girl in Pink Foundation, please visit: www.thatgirlinpink.org.
Since her rise to fame in March 2011, Benni has authored That Girl in Pink's Internet Survival Guide that offers teens five simple, but effective, strategies for handling life online. She has also visited schools across the U.S. delivering her Don't Just Stand There anti-bullying presentation, which now has a waiting list of schools across the country. She also established a 501c3 non-profit organization, affectionately named That Girl in Pink Foundation (TGIPF) to better lend her support to the prevention of teen suicide, an issue that has affected her personally.
This now 15-year-old's selfless work has not gone unnoticed. She has been honored as a role model on SixBillionSecrets.com, has her own blog for The Huffington Post, been featured in The New York Times, and received the 2012 Kids Curing Kids Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Benni stays focused on her goals because of her firm belief that far too many kids are lost to suicide and that by offering them more lifelines through empowerment, education and support, this could be changed. She hopes her new music will help bring more attention and support to this important cause.
Benni Cinkle's official music video for "Gotta Get Out"premiered today on MTV Act.
The single is now available on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout. Please go to www.thatgirlinpink.org for more updates.
Find out more on Benni Cinkle here:
Non-Profit: www.thatgirlinpink.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BennetCinkle
Twitter: www.twitter.com/benni_cinkle
Youtube: www.youtube.com/imthatgirlinpink
Tumblr: www.one-millionpieces.tumblr.com
Instagram: @BenniCinkle
Purchase "Gotta Get Out" on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout
Read The New York Times feature on Benni: http://nyti.ms/KKju5d
Benni Cinkle's Official Huffington Post Blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/benni-cinkle
Benni Cinkle, also known as "That Girl in Pink" from Rebecca Black's "Friday" music video, has teamed up with MTV's ACT blog to premiere her much anticipated new music video for "Gotta Get Out" today, Thursday, July 12th. Check it out here: http://on.mtv.com/MmnR3X. "Gotta Get Out" is available now on iTunes and Benni is donating a portion of the proceeds to a charity organization she supports, Children of the Night. Purchase "Gotta Get Out," here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout
MTV Act is MTV's blog that celebrates young people and celebrities taking action to make things better in the world, a perfect fit for Benni, the 15-year-old founder of the anti-bullying non-profit organization, ThatGirlInPink.org ! Benni traveled to Hollywood, New York City and Paris to shoot her upcoming music video - inspiring young people to chase their dreams no matter how far fetched they seem.
Children of the Night Founder and President, Dr. Lois Lee, spoke on Benni's generous donation to their worthy cause explaining that "Benni embodies the spirit, the guts and the tenacity required for an individual to change the world."
Benni's new single, "Gotta Get Out" is about feeling different from everyone else and longing to escape the life others expect you to live. "A lot of kids feel like they're trapped at home," Benni says. "I want to tell those kids it's okay. You can be what you want to be. Really, what my non-profit is all about is that there is hope and there is always something to look forward to." Behind the scenes footage from Benni's music video can be seen here: www.youtube.com/imthatgirlinpink.
This will be a follow up to Benni's first single, "Can You See Me Now" which she recorded after rising to unexpected Internet fame after appearing in "Friday." At first, Benni was ridiculed by millions around the world for her awkward dancing in the viral video, often referred to as "That girl in pink that can't dance." At the time, only 13 years old, Benni realized she had been gifted a platform that offered international reach, and decided to use her fame for something positive.
In 2010, inspired by the stories she read on SixBillionSecrets.com, Benni wrote "Can You See Me Now" for teens dealing with bullying, abuse, depression, and self-harm. She never thought anything would come of it and tucked it away in a drawer. After the attention from "Friday," Benni thought it was time to release the single and donate the proceeds to charities that help teens like To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA) and Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Benni's first single was added by over 30 radio stations, spun over 1200 times and charted at No. 30 in DJ Times. For more details about Benni Cinkle's new single, "Gotta Get Out" and her non-profit, That Girl in Pink Foundation, please visit: www.thatgirlinpink.org.
Since her rise to fame in March 2011, Benni has authored That Girl in Pink's Internet Survival Guide that offers teens five simple, but effective, strategies for handling life online. She has also visited schools across the U.S. delivering her Don't Just Stand There anti-bullying presentation, which now has a waiting list of schools across the country. She also established a 501c3 non-profit organization, affectionately named That Girl in Pink Foundation (TGIPF) to better lend her support to the prevention of teen suicide, an issue that has affected her personally.
This now 15-year-old's selfless work has not gone unnoticed. She has been honored as a role model on SixBillionSecrets.com, has her own blog for The Huffington Post, been featured in The New York Times, and received the 2012 Kids Curing Kids Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Benni stays focused on her goals because of her firm belief that far too many kids are lost to suicide and that by offering them more lifelines through empowerment, education and support, this could be changed. She hopes her new music will help bring more attention and support to this important cause.
Benni Cinkle's official music video for "Gotta Get Out"premiered today on MTV Act.
The single is now available on iTunes, here: http://bit.ly/gottagetout. Please go to www.thatgirlinpink.org for more updates.
Find out more on Benni Cinkle here:
Non-Profit: www.thatgirlinpink.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BennetCinkle
Twitter: www.twitter.com/benni_cinkle
Youtube: www.youtube.com/imthatgirlinpink
Tumblr: www.one-millionpieces.tumblr.com
Instagram: @BenniCinkle
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Melissa Green benefit concert for El Faro in Pasadena Aug. 10
One of L.A.'s favorite kids'/family musicians, Melissa Green, is ready to roll up the rug and celebrate, with Molly Sims as host! Melissa Green & Friends will present a rocking show for families, hosted by Molly Sims, in celebration of the release of Melissa's new CD, Sing Loud!, at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10 at the Pasadena Playhouse, 39 South El Molino Ave., Pasadena, CA.
A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit Friends of El Faro, a volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of the children of Casa Hogar Sion orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Friends of El Faro - http://friendsofelfaro.com - raises money to help clothe, feed and take care of more than 100 ninos at Casa Hogar Sion. The organization's volunteers and board members visit the orphanage in Tijuana regularly to play with the kids and help in any way they can. Melissa Green will travel to Tijuana later this summer to perform for the children and to present the orphanage with a monetary donation from her CD release show, which will be used to help fund a new playground.
Says Melissa Green, " "I was introduced to Friends of El Faro by Molly Sims a few years ago. Since then I have been thinking of a way to give back to them through music, and this concert is the result. I am really happy to be donating part of the proceeds, and I can't wait to do a concert for the kids at Casa Hogar Sion!"
Kids and their grownups should come to Melissa Green's Sing Loud! show prepared to do just that! Singing along (loudly!) will be the order of the day as Melissa and her band play new songs from Sing Loud! along with an array of "Melissa fan favorites," including "The Seahorse Song" and "Do Re Mi." Melissa hopes everyone will be up on their feet and dancing throughout the show, playing games like "Freeze Dance" and participating in such action songs as "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." Cookies and lemonade will be served, Little Junebugs will be on hand for face painting and crafts, and a few lucky kids will even be invited up on stage to sing with the band! Everyone will have a chance to meet Molly Sims, Melissa Green and the band after the show.
Known for her distinctive, warm, "wide open" vocal style, Melissa Green has been writing and performing music for families for nearly a decade. Her Sing Loud! album conveys the message "Stand tall, be proud, have fun, and get up and dance!" Songs run the gamut from invigorating kid anthems like "Heyo," "Sing Loud!" and "Get Up" (which features a chorus from Eminem's "Lose Yourself") and rockabilly tracks like "Aboard That Train" to a cover of the Go Go's poppy "We Got the Beat" featuring guest artist Brooke Shields.
While teaching at Beginnings Nursery School in NYC in 2003, Melissa Green began singing with kids. Encouraged by her success, she honed her guitar skills and ultimately became the school's music and movement specialist. Wishing to make her teaching more meaningful for the students, Melissa began writing and recording songs that grew out of their shared experiences. Now living in Los Angeles, Melissa is busy teaching and performing throughout the area while also maintaining an active national touring schedule.
Melissa Green's previous albums include Sweet Little One (2011), Round and Round (2008), and Here We Go (2006). In 2008 she released a DVD, Clap, Shake and Roll, and a song-turned-book, The Seahorse Song. Her music is featured on Putumayo's Rock & Roll Playground (2010), and she was a John Lennon Songwriting Contest finalist for "The Seahorse Song" from Here We Go.
A portion of the proceeds from this show will benefit Friends of El Faro, a volunteer organization dedicated to improving the lives of the children of Casa Hogar Sion orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Friends of El Faro - http://friendsofelfaro.com - raises money to help clothe, feed and take care of more than 100 ninos at Casa Hogar Sion. The organization's volunteers and board members visit the orphanage in Tijuana regularly to play with the kids and help in any way they can. Melissa Green will travel to Tijuana later this summer to perform for the children and to present the orphanage with a monetary donation from her CD release show, which will be used to help fund a new playground.
Says Melissa Green, " "I was introduced to Friends of El Faro by Molly Sims a few years ago. Since then I have been thinking of a way to give back to them through music, and this concert is the result. I am really happy to be donating part of the proceeds, and I can't wait to do a concert for the kids at Casa Hogar Sion!"
Kids and their grownups should come to Melissa Green's Sing Loud! show prepared to do just that! Singing along (loudly!) will be the order of the day as Melissa and her band play new songs from Sing Loud! along with an array of "Melissa fan favorites," including "The Seahorse Song" and "Do Re Mi." Melissa hopes everyone will be up on their feet and dancing throughout the show, playing games like "Freeze Dance" and participating in such action songs as "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." Cookies and lemonade will be served, Little Junebugs will be on hand for face painting and crafts, and a few lucky kids will even be invited up on stage to sing with the band! Everyone will have a chance to meet Molly Sims, Melissa Green and the band after the show.
Known for her distinctive, warm, "wide open" vocal style, Melissa Green has been writing and performing music for families for nearly a decade. Her Sing Loud! album conveys the message "Stand tall, be proud, have fun, and get up and dance!" Songs run the gamut from invigorating kid anthems like "Heyo," "Sing Loud!" and "Get Up" (which features a chorus from Eminem's "Lose Yourself") and rockabilly tracks like "Aboard That Train" to a cover of the Go Go's poppy "We Got the Beat" featuring guest artist Brooke Shields.
While teaching at Beginnings Nursery School in NYC in 2003, Melissa Green began singing with kids. Encouraged by her success, she honed her guitar skills and ultimately became the school's music and movement specialist. Wishing to make her teaching more meaningful for the students, Melissa began writing and recording songs that grew out of their shared experiences. Now living in Los Angeles, Melissa is busy teaching and performing throughout the area while also maintaining an active national touring schedule.
Melissa Green's previous albums include Sweet Little One (2011), Round and Round (2008), and Here We Go (2006). In 2008 she released a DVD, Clap, Shake and Roll, and a song-turned-book, The Seahorse Song. Her music is featured on Putumayo's Rock & Roll Playground (2010), and she was a John Lennon Songwriting Contest finalist for "The Seahorse Song" from Here We Go.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Chaka Khan supports No Excuses National Initiative
10-time GRAMMY Award winning singer and activist Chaka Khan and top Los Angeles community and business leaders announced today the Los Angeles kick-off of the No Excuses National Initiative, a pilot program that aims to keep juvenile offenders from returning to jail.
"In Los Angeles County, more than 60 percent of all incarcerated youth return to custody after their release," said Ms. Khan at a press conference this morning at the GRAMMY Museum in downtown Los Angeles. "These kids need our help."
The aim of No Excuses is to enlist local business leaders to mentor young offenders upon their release from juvenile detention. So far such wide-ranging businesses as Robnett Electric, Pacific Beauty College of Los Angeles and R.E.S.C.U.E. have stepped up to offer mentorship opportunities. Other prestigious companies like Apple One have expressed interest in participating. Businesses and juvenile offenders alike are encouraged to sign up for the No Excuses program at www.chakakhanfoundation.org/noexcuses.
"I challenge business leaders all over the country to step up and help these children," continued Ms. Khan. "More important than your money, these kids need your time and expertise to help them make a successful transition to a better life."
One of the beneficiaries of an intense mentor relationship is former Sylmar Juvenile Hall inmate Prophet Walker who shared his experiences with the gathered crowd. His journey out of a life behind bars began after attending InsideOUT Writers, an educational program for incarcerated young men and women that strives to reduce recidivism through workshops that discourage violence and promote pro-social means of self expression. His teacher in the writing classes was top Hollywood producer Scott Budnick who took the young Mr. Walker under his wing. Prophet is now a senior in civil engineering at Loyola Marymount University and a fulltime project engineer at Nautilus Group Inc., a real estate investment, development and design-build construction services firm.
"I wouldn't have made it where I am today without the support of mentors along the way, including my godfather Richard Jones, Scott, InsideOUT Writers and so many others," said Mr. Walker. "What Chaka is doing with No Excuses will provide a very important avenue towards success for kids who need a little extra help, just like I did."
In fact, InsideOUT Writers, which was founded in 1996 to provide creative writing classes to youth incarcerated in L.A. County detention facilities, will administer the No Excuses program in partnership with the Chaka Khan Foundation. InsideOUT Writers Executive Director, Wendy Killian shared her thoughts on the new initiative at the press conference.
Other speakers at the press conference included Chaka Khan Foundation President Veronica Coffield and community leader Avis Ridley-Thomas. Business leader Bill Thomas, who is Vice President of Operations at Robnett Electric, announced that his company has agreed to mentor 100 young men and women in the greater Los Angeles area.
Over the last two weeks, Ms. Khan, joined by business and community leaders, as well as friends from the entertainment industry, visited four local detention centers in the Los Angeles area - Central Juvenile Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Camp David Gonzales in Calabasas and Camp Scudder in Santa Clarita. During a four hour presentation and dialogue session, following the Days of Dialogue format created by Avis Ridley-Thomas, young men and women were encouraged to open up about their situations and what led them to their incarceration. At one particular visit when asked what was most important in helping them to make good choices in the future, kids overwhelmingly said that good mentors and role models were most important to their future success.
And now as the No Excuses National Initiative rolls out in an L.A. County pilot program, young people throughout the area will have the opportunity to connect with business people in their communities to learn the very basic skills they will need to land a job and be successful in society and avoid returning to jails and institutions.
Funding for No Excuses is provided by Wells Fargo (Gold Sponsor), The California Endowment, Carol Biondi and The GRAMMY Museum. For more information, please visit www.chakakhanfoundation.org/noexcuses.
"In Los Angeles County, more than 60 percent of all incarcerated youth return to custody after their release," said Ms. Khan at a press conference this morning at the GRAMMY Museum in downtown Los Angeles. "These kids need our help."
The aim of No Excuses is to enlist local business leaders to mentor young offenders upon their release from juvenile detention. So far such wide-ranging businesses as Robnett Electric, Pacific Beauty College of Los Angeles and R.E.S.C.U.E. have stepped up to offer mentorship opportunities. Other prestigious companies like Apple One have expressed interest in participating. Businesses and juvenile offenders alike are encouraged to sign up for the No Excuses program at www.chakakhanfoundation.org/noexcuses.
"I challenge business leaders all over the country to step up and help these children," continued Ms. Khan. "More important than your money, these kids need your time and expertise to help them make a successful transition to a better life."
One of the beneficiaries of an intense mentor relationship is former Sylmar Juvenile Hall inmate Prophet Walker who shared his experiences with the gathered crowd. His journey out of a life behind bars began after attending InsideOUT Writers, an educational program for incarcerated young men and women that strives to reduce recidivism through workshops that discourage violence and promote pro-social means of self expression. His teacher in the writing classes was top Hollywood producer Scott Budnick who took the young Mr. Walker under his wing. Prophet is now a senior in civil engineering at Loyola Marymount University and a fulltime project engineer at Nautilus Group Inc., a real estate investment, development and design-build construction services firm.
"I wouldn't have made it where I am today without the support of mentors along the way, including my godfather Richard Jones, Scott, InsideOUT Writers and so many others," said Mr. Walker. "What Chaka is doing with No Excuses will provide a very important avenue towards success for kids who need a little extra help, just like I did."
In fact, InsideOUT Writers, which was founded in 1996 to provide creative writing classes to youth incarcerated in L.A. County detention facilities, will administer the No Excuses program in partnership with the Chaka Khan Foundation. InsideOUT Writers Executive Director, Wendy Killian shared her thoughts on the new initiative at the press conference.
Other speakers at the press conference included Chaka Khan Foundation President Veronica Coffield and community leader Avis Ridley-Thomas. Business leader Bill Thomas, who is Vice President of Operations at Robnett Electric, announced that his company has agreed to mentor 100 young men and women in the greater Los Angeles area.
Over the last two weeks, Ms. Khan, joined by business and community leaders, as well as friends from the entertainment industry, visited four local detention centers in the Los Angeles area - Central Juvenile Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey, Camp David Gonzales in Calabasas and Camp Scudder in Santa Clarita. During a four hour presentation and dialogue session, following the Days of Dialogue format created by Avis Ridley-Thomas, young men and women were encouraged to open up about their situations and what led them to their incarceration. At one particular visit when asked what was most important in helping them to make good choices in the future, kids overwhelmingly said that good mentors and role models were most important to their future success.
And now as the No Excuses National Initiative rolls out in an L.A. County pilot program, young people throughout the area will have the opportunity to connect with business people in their communities to learn the very basic skills they will need to land a job and be successful in society and avoid returning to jails and institutions.
Funding for No Excuses is provided by Wells Fargo (Gold Sponsor), The California Endowment, Carol Biondi and The GRAMMY Museum. For more information, please visit www.chakakhanfoundation.org/noexcuses.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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