Jackie
Joyner-Kersee, Roy Disney, Mary Hart, And Jeff Foxworthy Are
Recognized For Making Generous Contributions To The Lives Of Children
In Televised Awards Event Presented By Delta Air Lines
ORLANDO, FLA (March 28, 2001)-The oft quoted thought is true: "A
hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of
house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different
because I was important in the life of a child." This is the maxim by
which four award recipients live their lives. The four will receive awards
during a televised gala hosted by CNN's Larry King.
The Children’s Miracle Network Miracle Awards presented by Delta Air Lines will
take place Saturday, April 7 at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando.
The event will be produced for television and air the first weekend in June on
a network of 200 stations throughout the United States and Canada. Delta
Miracle Award recipients have each demonstrated a long-standing commitment to
children and have contributed in many ways to bettering the lives of children
everywhere. Award presenters include Olympic champions Marion Jones and Mary
Lou Retton, sports broadcasters Dan Patrick and Robin Roberts, Miss America
2001, Angela Perez Baraquio, former NFL great Steve Young, and Children's
Miracle Network co-founders Marie Osmond and John Schneider.
The Children's Miracle Achievement Award will be presented to Olympic
champion Jackie Joyner-Kersee for her work with children in East St. Louis,
Ill. and surrounding areas; to "Entertainment Tonight" anchor Mary
Hart for her longtime commitment to organizations like Childhelp USA, the National
Childhood Cancer Foundation, and children's hospitals through Children's
Miracle Network; and to comedian/actor Jeff Foxworthy for his work with the
Make-a-Wish Foundation, Camp Sunshine, and the children at Duke Children's
Hospital in North Carolina.
The Lifetime of Miracles Award will be presented to Roy Disney, vice
chairman of the Walt Disney Company's board of directors and head of the
studio's Animation Department. Disney's leadership within the company, and
without as a board member of Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles, Ronald
McDonald House charities, and the United States Committee for UNICEF have been
extremely beneficial to hundreds of thousands of children.
"We felt it was high time for some exceptional individuals to receive
some recognition for what they do for children," said Children's Miracle
Network President and CEO Mick Shannon. "These people have done so much
for so many and have never sought, nor received any recognition for their work.
We thought it was appropriate for us to do so now."
"Delta's involvement in this event was a natural step for us,"
said Delta chairman and CEO Leo Mullin, who will also present an award to
Tamara Vorwald, a Delta employee credited with developing a school mentoring
program for at-risk children. "Our company's corporate philosophy goes
hand-in-hand with the commitments these individuals have made to advance the
causes of children and youth."
The evening's entertainment will include National Symphony Orchestra
violinist Jenny Oaks Baker with Juilliard pianist Jenny Naylor Richards;
11-year-old country & gospel singer Brock Timmerman; and a special musical
number performed by a 17-year-old songwriter who is a cancer patient at
Nashville's Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and former Lonestar singer John Rich,
who first heard the song while visiting kids at Vanderbilt last December.
About Jackie Joyner-Kersee
As a track and field superstar, Jackie Joyner-Kersee has made her mark on
the world, but her greatest contributions have taken place in her own backyard.
Kersee's heart has always been in East St. Louis, and the children who live
there are her passion.
The youth center she envisioned more than a decade ago for the kids in her
Illinois hometown became a reality last year. The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys and
Girls Club, which provides educational, social, and recreational activities for
its young members, focuses on building character and leadership skills.
Designed to be much more than a place to play sports, the club brings
basketball courts and game rooms together with computer labs, a music room and
a well-stocked library-all to help develop well-rounded kids.
"We need to instill pride in our youth so they are not ashamed to tell
people where they live," said Kersee.
That pride is emerging already. Expected to serve more than 14,000 children
from East St. Louis and surrounding areas, the center is revitalizing the
entire community. And Kersee's dream is far from over. An indoor track-and-field
complex and Olympic-size swimming pool are just a glimpse of what the future
holds for the kids she is helping to believe in themselves.
The money she has raised -$12 million so far and $20 million more to come-is
only part of the story. Kersee's personal commitment to making children's lives
better and inspiring them to follow their dreams is what drives the project.
Far from the spotlight, she can often be found where it matters most: talking,
playing and working with children one on one.
Kersee is also involved in a number of projects such as America Belongs to
Our Children and Nike's PLAY (Participate in the Lives of America's Youth)
Program that benefit children throughout the United States.
Named one of ESPN's 50 Greatest Athletes of the Century and Sports
Illustrated Female Athlete of the Century, Jackie Joyner-Kersee dominated the
sport of track and field for two decades, winning six Olympic medals, three of
them gold, and setting world and American records that are still intact today.
About Mary Hart
When it comes to improving children's lives, Mary Hart has a history of
involvement that spans her illustrious broadcasting career.
As an ambassador for Childhelp USA, Hart has helped combat child abuse by
speaking out for abuse prevention programs. She has also helped bring comfort
and a sense of security to abused and neglected children throughout the United
States, including many who have found safe haven in the organization's
villages.
Hart is likewise committed to children's health causes. She finds creative
ways to make a difference, such as recording an album of lullabies to benefit
the March of Dimes. And she helps children in more traditional ways, such as
serving on the board of directors of the National Childhood Cancer Foundation (NCCF),
an organization that strives to reduce the impact of cancer on children through
research, advocacy, and family support programs.
Hart has been with Children's Miracle Network from the very beginning,
generating international publicity and bringing millions of viewers to the
cause along the way. In 1983 she hosted local segments of the inaugural
telethon in Los Angeles, Calif. Over the next two decades she became a
well-recognized presence on the network portion of Children's Miracle Network's
annual television fund raiser, co-hosting from the Osmond Studios in the early
years, from Disneyland in the years that followed, and finally from Walt Disney
World where the Children's Miracle Network Celebration takes place today.
Each time she visits Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, the Children's Miracle
Network affiliate near her home, Hart makes a point of getting eye-level with
every child she meets. It's a practice that defines her devotion to kids.
Now in her 19th year as anchor of "Entertainment Tonight," Mary
Hart is considered a contemporary television icon. She was recently inducted
into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame and received the American Women
in Radio & Television's Silver Satellite Award.
About Jeff Foxworthy
His chosen profession may be making people laugh, but Jeff Foxworthy's
private mission is making children feel better. It's a mission he takes quite
seriously.
Foxworthy is not the sort of celebrity who visits hospitalized children once
a year and relishes the publicity. His devotion to ill and injured children is
quiet, personal, and has gone largely unnoticed by everyone but the children
themselves. Every chance he gets, Foxworthy visits kids at Duke Children's
Hospital. And he doesn't just drop by. Foxworthy stays as long as each child
wants, spending hours on end talking, laughing and lightening the mood with his
easygoing manner. Over the years he has been a true friend to countless
children.
Many of these friendships continue today. Kids like Jonathan, a Duke patient
who is now awaiting a heart transplant, have found a permanent place in
Foxworthy's heart. He calls regularly to check Jonathan's progress and stops in
to see him whenever he can.
In the public eye, Foxworthy has helped Duke Children's raise millions of
dollars as chairman of the annual Duke Children's Classic Golf Tournament. He
participates regularly in Duke fund raisers on radio and television, records
promotional materials, attends hospital events, and recently dedicated the
Foxworthy Teen Zone in Duke's new Children's Health Center.
Having seen up close how important it is for kids with life-threatening
conditions to just be kids, Foxworthy is also involved with children's causes
like the Make-a-Wish Foundation and Camp Sunshine, a summer camp for children
battling cancer.
In his career as in his personal life, Foxworthy puts children's needs
first. Concerned with the effects of offensive humor on today's children, he
keeps his comedy material offense-free and never resorts to crudity. Instead of
dwelling on what makes people different, Foxworthy focuses on exploring what
people have in common-a powerful example for all children.
As the best-selling American comedian of all time, Jeff Foxworthy has
brought the gift of laughter to millions. His recordings, books and
performances have earned him numerous honors, including Best Stand-up Comic at
the American Comedy Awards, TNN's Comedian of the Year, and four Grammy
nominations.
About Roy Disney
Throughout his life, Roy Edward Disney has made children his number-one
priority. Delighting generations of children with the magic of Disney films,
attractions, and characters has been his life's work for nearly half a
century-a work that has touched the lives of millions.
Beyond entertainment, Disney's dedication to children has found many
outlets. As a long-time advocate of education, he has been the mastermind
behind innovative programs like Jiminy Cricket's Environmentality Challenge, an
environmental education program that encourages elementary school students to
think and act responsibly toward the environment. Since he initiated the
program in 1994 as a partnership between The Walt Disney Company and the State
of California, more than 250,000 children have participated. Over the years the
program has inspired children to adopt endangered species, initiate school
recycling programs, save open spaces from developers, and clean up countless
beaches and canyons.
Perhaps even more importantly, programs like this have helped children take
pride in their accomplishments, enjoy learning, and get a sense of what it
means to make a difference in their community.
Under Disney's direction, The Walt Disney Company has maintained a
longstanding tradition of making a difference for children in the community.
Through internal programs like VoluntEars, Disney employees have logged
hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours in children's causes. And through
community programs like Disney Scholars and Disney Dreamers and Doers,
outstanding kids have gained the recognition they deserve.
Over the past five decades Disney's personal efforts to help kids have
extended well outside the Disney umbrella. His desire to enhance the lives of
children has led to hands-on involvement in community projects of all kinds.
Providing leadership and direction on the boards of child-centered
organizations such as Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles, Ronald McDonald
House charities, and the United States Committee for UNICEF is one of the many
ways he continues to serve today.
Roy E. Disney currently serves as vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company's
board of directors and heads the studio's Animation Department. He joined The
Walt Disney Company in 1954 as an assistant film editor and has subsequently
held the roles of writer, director, producer and vice president.
About Children's Miracle Network
Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, Children's Miracle Network is an
international non-profit organization dedicated to helping children by raising
funds and awareness for 170 children's hospitals throughout North America. Each
year these non-profit hospitals treat more than 14 million children afflicted
with diseases, injuries and birth defects of every kind. For more information,
visit them on the web at www.cmn.org.
About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides air transportation for passengers and freight
throughout the United States and around the world. Delta is the largest U.S.
airline in terms of aircraft departures and passengers enplaned, and third
largest as measured by operating revenues and revenue passenger miles flown.
Delta is the leading U.S. airline in the transatlantic, offering the most daily
flight departures, serving the largest number of nonstop markets and carrying
more passengers than any other U.S. airline. Delta has a long history of
supporting children's programs as part of its commitment to the communities
where its 80,000 employees work and live.
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