Bruce Willis Helps the Boot Campaign

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: , , ,

motorcycleBruce Willis is helping out the charity Boot Campaign in a rather unusual and creative way. Two months ago, he donated a 2005 Ducati 1000DS motorcycle which sold for $6250. Now, he’s offered up a 1988 Yamaha TW that is valued at $1400. The bidding had reached $1450 on February 8th with just three bidders fighting it out for the bike.

Boot Campaign released this statement from Bruce Willis, “I wanted to use my bikes in a way that would benefit our military service members, and I am thankful to have found the Boot Campaign as the catalyst for using my bikes in a way that will give back to our country’s true heroes.” He continued, “These bikes have been a lot of fun to ride, and my hope is they can do a lot of good for our veterans.”

Boot Campaign will be auctioning off his five bikes in two month intervals. The next bikes up will be the 1962 Cushman Eagle and then the 1991 Yamaha XT. The last auction will be in August with his 1972 H-D Ironhead Sportster XLH.

NeNe Leakes Combines Fashion with Charity

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: EducationTagged: , , , , ,

There’s nothing better than an opportunity to look your best – while also helping out a charity. That’s what NeNe Leakes has in mind with the new shoe design that she has recently created. The “Nethia” design is a black boot that is ankle-length and has platform heels and a zipper.  Posting a photo of her hot new design on Twitter, NeNe said, “I love this ‘Nethia’ shoe! I’m very proud of it & created it myself 4 a great charity.”

The shoes can be found on ShoeDazzle’s website, a brilliant creation from Kim Kardashian where style-minded women can get fashionable shoes, handbags, accessories and more each month made by leading designers and celebrities. While ShoeDazzle.com used to be a subscription mail-order service only, they’ve recently started offering all times for $39.95 with free shipping!

And, the best part of purchasing NeNe’s latest design is that all profits from the shoe will go towards Saving Our Daughters. This is a nonprofit that works to help teen girls with issues of bullying, date abuse, hate crimes, school violence, violence against women and other self-esteem issues. They are making important strides to boost the self esteem of girls everywhere.

Shoes…fashion…charity…self esteem….it’s a combination that can’t be beat.

Guns & Hoses Softball Tournament Raises Money for Youth Programs

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: FamilyTagged: , , , , , ,

August 18th marks this year’s Guns & Hoses charity event, which combines the efforts of the Great Falls Police Department and Great Falls Fire Rescue in a softball tournament.

All proceeds from the event, which include the admission fee of $7 and a can of food, are donated to local youth programs and food banks. Tickets are being sold at the Great Falls Police Department and Centene Stadium.

Katie Cunnigham, a police officer, explained:

“It’s important for 100 percent of the donations and proceeds go straight back into the community for youth-based organizations such as ‘Shop with a Cop’ graduation parties, CASA-CAN, all those types of things. It goes straight back into the community.”

The Fire Rescue feels the same way. Fireman J.D. Kulbeck said:

“Just good to show that the cops and firemen do actually get along though there’s kind of that friendly rivalry. But most importantly it’s to raise money for the charities.”

Last year’s competition ended with a 31-15 win for the Fire Rescue. This year Cunningham believes the police are “planning on bringing their best game,” while the Fire Rescue team vows to keep up their winning streak.

New York Concert Battles Extreme Poverty

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: PovertyTagged: , , , , , , ,

Late this September, three hot bands will combine their efforts at one of the most popular concerts of the year- the Global Festival 2012.

Tickets for the event, which will feature The Black Keys, Foo Fighters and Neil Young with Crazy Horse, cannot be bought in advance, however. Instead, fans must take part in an effort to fight extreme poverty though the event’s website or app, thus earning entry to the Central Park performance. Participation involves simple activities such as posting info on social media networks, signing petitions and small donations.

The Black Keys’ drummer Patrick Carney explained:

“The scale of things that they’re trying to do just felt really cool, and we’re trying to get the ball rolling. Especially with everything that’s been going on for the last three years, I supposed, after the stock market crashed. There’s attention on the amount of people living below the poverty line and the disparity between the rich and the poor and everything that’s going on now… It just felt like the right time to do something.”

Efforts against worldwide poverty have increased as the UN meetings in NY proceed. Hugh Evans, organizer of Global Poverty Project, has called the concert a “crescendo” to the outstanding effort.

“I think what’s exciting is all the world leaders are going to be in town that week for the United Nations meeting. And this concert and the associated campaign will give us the opportunity to ask these world leaders to make practical and tangible monetary commitments to the world’s poor and to the achievement of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.”

Charlie Sheen to Donate $50,000 to Match Brennaman’s Reds Fund Project

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: FamilyTagged: , , , , ,

Last week’s match between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh’s Pirates captured the hearts of fans everywhere thanks to Marty Brennaman’s charitable efforts.

The amount broadcaster had pledged to shave his head if the team won ten consecutive games. He added that the haircut would be done publicaly if fans could collect $20, 000 for the Reds Community Fund, which is ‘dedicated to improving the lives of youth.’

Actors Martin and Charlie Sheen were both present on Friday for the head-shaving event. They visited Great American Ball Park to support the Reds and to celebrate Martin Sheen’s birthday. Upon hearing that Brennaman’s drive generated $50,000 for the organization, the younger Sheen vowed to match that amount. Martin is a Dayton native, and Charlie has been a Reds fan since his childhood.

“The City of Cincinnati has opened its arms to me so graciously and I’m compelled to give something back,” Sheen said. “If this contribution points one kid in the right direction, then we’ve done our job.”

 

Charlie Sheen Offering Large Charitable Contribution to USO

Posted on
By JohnPosted In: Charity Activity, MilitaryTagged: , , ,

It’s nice to see that even crazy celebrities can make a difference. Charlie Sheen, who just recently made news when he turned off his Twitter account with millions of followers, is now in the headlines for a good reason. He has pledged to give at least $1 million to military charity United Services Organization program that help hurt and sick soldiers and their families.

It’s hard to believe that this amount is only 1% of the profits he gets from his new show Anger Management. He reports that, should the show be a great hit, the USO may receive even more. At the moment, he’s given the charity an initial donation of $250,000.

In a statement Sheen said,

“It’s an honor for me to be able to give back to these men and women of the military who have done so much for all of us. They put their lives on the line for us every day, and I’m just happy that my work on Anger Management can bring a little bit of relief to the troops and their families.”

The spokesman for USO agrees. As he said, “the way we lift the spirits of the families and troops is through generous donations from the American public. It is heart-warming to me to see how the American people support the troops whether it’s 25 cents or $25 or $250,000.”

5th Annual Fire Charity Fishing Tournament Supports Child Burn Victims

Posted on
By DouglasPosted In: HealthTagged: , , , ,

A Fire Charity Fishing Tournament was held in support of the Children’s Burn Camp several years ago in Bradenton, and has returned annually ever since.

Founder Erik Nicholson, an engineer for the East Manatee Fire District, makes sure that all of the event’s proceeds go to the charity, which supports child burn victims and allows them to forget about their appearances and form strong relationships with others like them. Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $25,000.

He explained, “You spend most of your life trying to keep your head above water. For me, life was good and I wanted to do something to benefit others.

“It is so important for children who have been hurt by fires to have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and regain self-confidence. The burn camp provides those services and I’m proud our tournament provides money for their program.”

This year’s tournament caters to children as well, allowing supervised kids aged 5-12 to fish from the Bradenton Yacht Club seawall for only $10. The price also includes lunch on the scene from Chick-Fil-A, music, entertainment, free face paint, a bouncy house and arts and crafts. As for the tournament, “if it swims- it counts” and the biggest fish catcher gets a prize. All fish are released alive.

Committee Member Erin Craft explained the unique advantages of the event. “It’s an affordable way to promote outdoor activities and helping others,” she said. “We expect to see a lot of catfish, but any species is fun for the kids to reel in.”

Here are some highlights from last year’s event:

 

Topper’s Pizza Teams Up With SickKids Foundation

Posted on
By DouglasPosted In: FamilyTagged: , , , ,

Topper’s Pizza, a Foodservice and Hospitality Top 100 Company, recently announced its new partnership with the SickKids Foundation in an effort to support children’s health. According to Keith Toppazzini, president and CEO of the company, the new relationship fits into their corporate social responsibility program.

The new program will have several different branches, including in-store donations, corporate matching and promotions. In-store donations will be dedicated to family education resource AboutKidsHealth, while other campaigns will benefit the Possibility Fund for the Hospital for Sick Children.

“We’re proud to select SickKids Foundation as our corporate charity,” Keith said. “As a family-run business with strong family values, it makes perfect sense to support a charitable organization that does so much for so many families across our province, Canada, and around the world.”

Kelly Toppazzini, also of Topper’s, added: “By partnering with SickKids, we are making a considerable commitment to support children’s health and we couldn’t be happier to do it.

Adrian Horwood of SickKids Foundation also expressed excitement. “Topper’s Pizza has a wonderful, loyal following of families as customers and we’re looking forward to having them on board as one of our newest corporate partners to help promote awareness about children’s health, as well as to provide us with another way to raise critical funds,” he said.

Matthew’s Mission’s Easter Eggstravaganza

Posted on
By DouglasPosted In: FamilyTagged: , , , , ,

Yesterday morning, hundreds of children participated in the Easter Eggstravaganza, which benefits a charity called Matthew’s Mission. Held at the South Scranton’s Harmon Field, the event included 25,000 Easter eggs, prizes, treats, face paint, games and much more.

Matthew’s Mission is an organization that works to fund special needs programs in memory of Matthew James Newell, who die suddenly from a seizure at the age of 24. The young man had Down syndrome and was known for his generosity.

“My brother Matthew always donated his own money to, say, St. Joseph’s Center of the Friendship House,” explained his sister, Kathleen Haikes. “When he passed away unexpectedly we thought, we’ll keep his name going and do his work for him.”

Ms. Haikes added that the charity depends on the community’s help in order to continue with its mission. For example, the preparation for the Easter Eggstravaganza included an egg-filling party, where volunteers filled almost 20,000 eggs in two hours.

The prizes within the eggs included candy and small toys, while 125 tickets for giant stuffed animals were also among the items found.

Matthew’s Mission also donated additional gifts, including a service dog for 9-year-old Melanie Berardelli. The dog, named Buddy, is trained to sense and deal with seizures like those that plague Melanie.

Melanie’s mother Traci said: “The things that Matthew’s Mission does are just unbelievable.”

Missions International of America in Savanette, Haiti

Posted on
By DouglasPosted In: HealthTagged: , , , , , ,

Four or five times a year, Missions International of America brings a team of doctors and nurses from Ohio to treat the residents of Savanette, Haiti.

Over the course of the four-day visit, more than 350 people were seen and treated by Dr. Sue Leatherman and Dr. Barry Cash, while over one hundred patients were examined by the volunteer dentist Dr. Ted Barnett as well. The program has several volunteers, including Cathy Breen.

According to the volunteers, this year’s patients were much healthier then those seen on previous visits, and many believe this is directly related to the fresh, clean drinking water that is now provided in the area.

Founded by Dr. Jay and Mrs. Jan Nielsen in 2002, Missions International of America works to improve the quality of life of both children and adults in Savanette, Haiti. In addition to providing medical and dental care, the organization established and manages the Brad Reddick School. The program provides 300 children in K-6 with a free education.

Here is a video from the volunteer crew’s latest visit: