JAMIE LEE CURTIS JOINS STARLIGHT STARBRIGHT CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION TO HONOR ROBIN MCGRAW, DAVE KOZ AND PAM OMIDYAR AT ANNUAL ‘A STELLAR NIGHT’ GALA

Event will be co-chaired by Queen Latifah and David Hoberman and will feature entertainment by contemporary jazz great Dave Koz with a surprise special guest

LOS ANGELES — On March 23 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation will present TV personality and author Robin McGraw with the 2007 Heart of Gold Award at the organization’s annual A Stellar Night gala. Hosted by Jamie Lee Curtis, Co-Chaired by Queen Latifah and film and television producer David Hoberman, A Stellar Night will spotlight inspirational stories from Starlight Starbright families and pay tribute to entertainment industry leaders and humanitarians who are making a world of difference for children and families.

Pam Omidyar, founder and board chair of HopeLab, will receive the inaugural Peter Samuelson Award for Innovation, and Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz will receive the Jacki Carlish Humanitarian Award. Dave and his special guest will also provide musical entertainment.

The Heart of Gold Award is presented to an individual who has a deep commitment to children and a generous heart. Robin McGraw is being recognized for her longtime dedication to child welfare and devotion to her own family, as described so eloquently in her NY Times bestselling book, Inside My Heart.

The Jacki Carlish Humanitarian Award, named for a founding member of Starlight Starbright who dedicated her life to ensuring that sick children still had a chance to be kids, recognizes individuals with the highest level of personal commitment to the foundation. Starlight Starbright is thrilled to present this year’s award to longtime friend Dave Koz in recognition of his 20 years of dedication to improving the quality of life of seriously ill children and their families.

In recognition of the importance of innovation in the scope and quality of its programs, and to honor its Chairman, Peter Samuelson, Starlight Starbright has created the Peter Samuelson Award for Innovation. Pam Omidyar will be the first recipient of this award, to acknowledge her ground-breaking work in the research and development of innovative solutions to improve the health and quality of life of young people fighting devastating diseases. Pam's deep commitment to ending human suffering, her passion for quality research and science, and her interest in games and technology converged in the founding of HopeLab and the development of its first product, Re-Mission, a video game for teens and young adults with cancer. The Peter Samuelson Award for Innovation will not be an annual tribute; it will only be awarded to special individuals who break new ground to help seriously ill children cope.

In keeping with Starlight Starbright’s family-focused mission, children are invited to attend the cocktail-attire affair to experience the importance of philanthropy firsthand. As an illustration of what kids can do to help other kids, the evening will highlight the volunteerism of Starlight Starbright’s StarPower program, which includes young celebrities such as:
- Corbin Bleu (High School Musical),
- Kristy Frank (recording artist),
- Christopher Massey (Zoey 101),
- Kyle Massey (Cory in the House),
- Rob Pinkston (Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide),
- Lauren Storm (Flight 29 Down),
- Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical) and
- Devon Werkheiser (Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide).
StarPower members serve as ambassadors for Starlight Starbright and participate in programs to lift the spirits of seriously ill children and their families. A Stellar Night will also feature a special V.I.K (Very Important Kid) Lounge, sponsored by Hollywood Video, where young guests can join StarPower as they write notes to hospitalized children and try out Starlight Starbright technology such as PC Pal® laptops and Fun Centers, which feature a Nintendo GameCube™.

As in year’s past, Starlight Starbright’s A Stellar Night 2007 will bring together organizations, corporations and people who are committed to making a difference in the lives of children with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions. Generous sponsors include: Nintendo of America, California Pizza Kitchen, The Walt Disney Company, Hollywood Video and HopeLab.

About Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization that transforms the lives of seriously ill children and their families through imaginative programs that educate, uplift their spirits, foster a sense of community, and help alleviate the pain and fear of prolonged illness. Starlight Starbright offers an impressive array of in-hospital, outpatient, school and home-based programs and services that touch the lives of more than 180,000 children and families each month. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.

Supporters can use PayPal’s Text to Give program to donate to Starlight Starbright today. Learn more at www.starlight.org/t2g.

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