One more David Cook post

While you're giving back in honor of David, check out this article I found re: his brother Adam and a) raising money for his return to the finale of American Idol and b) raising money for his medical bills.

http://www.helpbringadamback.com/

David Cook, The NEXT American Idol and the story about his brother Adam

American Idol contestant David Cook has been seen with the intials 'AC' on his guitar. No, it's not the first half of AC/DC - it's a tribute to his brother Adam, who is currently fighting brain cancer a second time 'round.

Adam was first diagnosed with brain cancer in 1998 and successfully fought it off. Now, however, it's back with a vengeance and, according to reports, it has spread down to his spine. Adam almost couldn't make it to see his brother's performance on American Idol the week of April 14th after his doctor's said he couldn't fly commercially, but his community pitched in and got him the money for a medical jet, a nurse and medic on the flight, and a stay in the hotel across from where Idol films.

This blog is about personal connections to important causes and this can't get any closer. This is one Soul Patroler who has joined the campaign to see this young and talented musician, David Cook, take home the grand prize -- to be THE American Idol of 2008.

If you want to help David and his brother Adam join the fight against brain cancer - or any cancer, for that matter -- check out the American Cancer Society's website and donate in honor of Adam Cook by clicking here. Every dollar you donate goes to research to fight brain cancer.

Don't forget to vote for David this Tuesday on American Idol as well!

Celebrities Go Green (Shirts that is)

Have you ever wanted to carry around a piece of celebrity with you? Well, now you can...a t-shirt made by one of them and all of the profits go to charity! Or maybe you'd prefer to design a t-shirt yourself, and have a chance at winning awesome prizes.

Beginning on Earth Day (April 22), consumers can visit PurexSavesGreen.com to design their own T-shirts with original, environmentally-friendly slogans for a chance to win a smart fortwo car and other great prizes.

Jaime Pressly, who can currently be found on 'My Name is Earl', and Purex Natural Elements, designer of the ecofriendly Purex® Natural Elements™ laundry detergent, have teamed together to raise money for the Earth Day Network (EDN) to help promote environmental education in schools. Celebrities, including Glenn Close (t-shirt at right), Chevy Chase, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Martha Stewart, Christie Brinkley, and more, have designed t-shirts to be auctioned off to the highest bidder from now to June 22. If you choose to enter the contest - designing a t-shirt with an environmentally friendly slogan all of your own - you can win a car and other great prizes, including a cash prize of $1000! You can find the t-shirts or enter the contest at PurexSavesGreen.com.

Dave Matthews, Bob Weir Among Artists Appearing in Powerful Documentary

HEADCOUNT DOCUMENTARY A CALL TO ACTION RELEASED ON iCLIPS

A Call To Action, a documentary that captures the story of how a motivated group of musicians and fans created HeadCount, a grassroots non-partisan, not-for-profit voter registration organization, was released today on iClips.net . A trailer can be viewed on YouTube. The film depicts how HeadCount sprang out of the live music community to become a force in a nationwide movement to mobilize young voters. It features appearances by a dozen musicians and longtime supporters, including superstar Dave Matthews, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, Trey Anastasio of Phish and Grammy-winner Bela Fleck.

Produced by the philanthropic event and media creator Concerts4Charity, Inc., A Call to Action mixes music, interviews and concert footage to tell an inspirational story about culture and political organizing. It shows how unique lessons learned in the grassroots music community were applied in launching HeadCount, a volunteer-run organization that would register nearly 50,000 voters in 2004, its very first year of existence. “For the young folks today, these elections will largely determine what happens for the rest of their lives,” said Bob Weir, a member of HeadCount’s Board of Directors, in A Call to Action. The documentary includes footage of Weir and several other artists making an appeal from stage for their fans to register and vote. It also profiles other nonprofit organizations and charitable activity by artists such as Warren Haynes (of Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brothers Band).

“Telling this story through the words and images of artists really hammers home how universal this is,” said Marc Brownstein, bass player for the popular electronic rock band The Disco Biscuits, and one of HeadCount’s co-chairs and founders. Brownstein also appears in the film.

HeadCount has set out to register another 100,000 voters in this election cycle through a campaign that will include registration drives held at more than 1,000 concerts. It has ties to about 75 different recording artists and a network of nearly 2,000 volunteers. Targeting young voters in particular, HeadCount largely works with artists who have a strong emotional bond with their fans.

The majority of A Call to Action was filmed on location at the March 2007 Langerado Music Festival in the political hotbed of Broward County, Florida. It also includes appearances by jazz pianist John Medeski, members of the underground college phenomenon O.A.R., political rocker Michael Franti and moe. guitarist Al Schnier, also a member of HeadCount’s Board of Directors.

“Our mission is to use arts and sports to encourage philanthropic activity among young people,” said Kaleem Clarkson, Executive Director of Concerts4Charity. “We felt that profiling HeadCount and having the artists tell the story was a great way to do that.”

iClips.net, an interactive streaming video network, is hosting A Call to Action along with other original content such as live concerts. It recently streamed this year’s Langerado festival, where A Call to Action was shown on giant video screen in front of 15,000 people.

Since its inception in 2004, HeadCount has registered over 60,000 voters – a rewarding challenge for a core group of volunteers, which has in turn provided a voice for many. 2008 will mark the first full election cycle since the organization was launched. For scores of volunteers, this undertaking has truly been…A Call to Action.

Building a Greater Los Angeles -- Idol Gives Back

250 Homes in 3 years...of course it's Habitat for Humanity and the wonderful work they are doing. Here's one person's take on how they were at Idol Gives Back, standing next to Maria Shriver. Check it out -- it's interesting and the part about Simon Cowell is a giggle.

Habitat for Humanity is a great cause. Have any of you participated in building a home?

Today, I ask for help for a friend

In this column, I talk about celebrity-do-gooders, but as you all know, helping out starts at home. This time, I'm asking for help for a writer friend of mine. Lori Hall Steele is an amazing freelance writer. She's been sick with a 'mysterious' neurological condition. At first the docs thought she had Lyme Disease, and she's also been tested for other conditions too, including Guillian Barre Syndrome. They are still trying to find out what's wrong. Lori can't work anymore. She can't write anymore because she's THAT sick. As a matter of fact, I just took over one of her projects.

You know what the kicker is right? Her insurance company has denied all coverage due to a pre-existing condition (you listening presidential candidates?????). Lori is tapped out financially and doctors are still searching for a cause to her condition. Her friends, like me, are trying to help with fundraisers. Whatever you can do, we'd greatly appreciate it. I know you don't know Lori, but just know that this donation is helping Lori directly --- no organizations, no overheads, no committees -- it goes straight to Lori. Can't help financially? Spread the word please.

Read this article in the Grand Traverse newspaper to find out more.
Another friend of mine, Kristen Hains, has posted this on her Facebook page.

This time it's personal. Can you please help?

Lisa

Trace Atkins and The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network

I watched Celebrity Apprentice and since I wanted Trace Atkins to win, I thought I would dedicate this column to him and the work he's doing on behalf of his daughter and her food allergies. If you're like me, you can listen to that man talk and sing for hours (isn't his voice awesome!) so if you're really truly listening, you'll hear how much help that the organization that is near and dear to his heart, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, needs. For those of you who do not know, Trace's six-year-old daughter has severe food allergies.

He has said, "She’s allergic to all nuts, all dairy and eggs,” says Adkins. “It’s something we deal with and have to be vigilant about on a daily basis. We have to keep the Benadryl, the Epi-pen, all that stuff." (Check out the rest of the blog post here.) We need to spread the word about this condition and help the children who are afflicted. For those of you who can just grab anything you want to eat without thinking about what it is doing to your body, this is especially for you. Imagine how many labels they read and how much they have to do just to prepare a meal for their daughter. Imagine how scary it must be to live with that thought that she's eating something that can send her into anaphylactic shock. I have three healthy children and I can't imagine it.

So please check out this organization -- The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network -- and donate what you can. Help to spread the word. Buy Trace's new song and help contribute to the cause (the song makes me cry it's so beautiful). Let's help Trace out.

Hey Trace -- you should've won. One thing that Donald Trump failed to realize is that even though Piers raised the most money, nobody asked if any of the contestants would want to work with him regularly. I guarantee the answer would be no. That's the difference between you and Piers -- Piers can raise the money, agreed, but he is in no way qualified to be a boss that someone would want to work for every single day. Trace, thanks for showing the Brit how classy Americans really are (of course Omarosa is the exception to that! Please NO more of her!).

Lisa

Treehugger

I'm in the midst of finishing two major work projects and then this blog will be back in business. In the meantime, please check out these websites for some great information on being green and about Earth Day, this April 22nd.

www.treehugger.com
Earth Day

I was just recently named Green Building Correspondent for Multi-Housing News. I'm excited about this position as I'll report on what developers of apartment buildings/condos/coops/townhouses are doing to make their buildings more sustainable and "green."

Lisa

Nigel Barker (and I) ask to please help baby seals!

Baby seals have got to be some of the cutest creatures ever put on this earth and although I normally put pictures of celebrities on the site, today they are the celebrity. Please help to save them. Nigel Barker of America's Next Top Model and the Humane Society of the United States are working hard to help stop the Canadian commercial seal hunt and you can too.

FACTS:

• Canada's commercial seal hunt is the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth, with hundreds of thousands of seals killed annually.
• In Canada, more than 95 percent of the seals killed each year are less than 3 months old. At the time of slaughter, many have yet to eat their first solid meal or take their first swim, and they are utterly defenseless against the hunters.
• The seals are killed for their fur, which is sold in fashion markets in Asia, Europe and Russia.
• In Canada, sealers are commercial fishermen, who earn only a small fraction of their annual incomes from killing seals.
• A 2007 study by a panel of veterinary and zoology experts who studied the Canadian commercial seal hunt found a widespread disregard for the Marine Mammal Regulations by sealers, a failure to monitor the hunt by authorities, high wounding rates in seals that were shot or clubbed, wounded seals left to suffer for protracted periods of time and sealers failing to ensure animals were dead in 66 percent of cases. The report concluded that both clubbing and shooting of seals should be considered unacceptable.
• A recent scientific opinion by the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare requested by the European Commission concluded, "When seals are hit or shot, but are not dead, they may have to be hit or shot again or may be moved or skinned whilst conscious, resulting in avoidable pain, distress, fear and other forms of suffering" and "seals should be protected from acts that cause them avoidable pain, distress, fear and other forms of suffering."
• Nations around the world have taken action to end their trade in seal products or announced their intention to do so, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Panama, Slovenia and the United States.

After experiencing first hand the beauty of the harp seal nursery, world-renowned photographer Nigel Barker joined The Humane Society of the United States in calling on the Canadian government to end the commercial slaughter of baby seals in favor of the more humane — and lucrative — eco-tourism industry.

Since Canada banned commercial whale hunting in the 1970's, the whale-watching industry has thrived and is now worth more than the commercial seal hunt.

"Years ago, the Canadian government successfully turned its commercial whale hunt into a multi million-dollar whale-watching industry, and there is absolutely no reason the government cannot do the same with seals," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "By continuing this appalling and inhumane hunt, the government is turning what should be an economic asset — the world's largest migration of these highly charismatic marine mammals — into a liability. The new economies of the major nations of the world will be built around sustainable and humane practices, not the reckless exploitation of wildlife and natural resources."

Barker said, "Witnessing hundreds of thousands of harp seals with their beautiful white coat pups in this awe-inspiring frozen landscape is enough to take even the most seasoned photojournalist's breath away. Of course, the thought of the impending slaughter with the use of clubs, sharp spikes and guns in only a few weeks' time shatters what should be a celebration of life and promise and instead fills you with dread and remorse for the inhumane way we treat our fellow animals."

"I hope to raise awareness in the youth of today with graphic images of both the joy and desperation from the largest mammalian birthing site and consequent killing fields on Earth. This sort of behavior cannot and will not be tolerated by the youth of today and I intend to do something about it," Barker continued.

HSUS is calling upon the Canadian government to immediately implement a fair buyout of the sealing industry. In recent years, the Canadian government has successfully implemented many license buy-back programs, also known as license retirement plans, in the wake of fisheries closures. In these programs, the government compensates license holders for lost revenue resulting from fishery closures.

A sealing license buy-back program would fairly compensate fishermen (who hunt seals in the off season) affected by the permanent closure of the commercial seal hunt. This program, combined with the additional new sources of income from tourism, would only improve the already strong economy of Canada, the environment, the lives of the fishermen and of course, the welfare of the seals.

Seal hunting is an off-season activity conducted by Canadian fishermen. Since 2005, The HSUS has urged U.S. companies to avoid selling and serving Canadian seafood in order to convince that country's fishing industry to stop participating in and supporting the commercial seal hunt.

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The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.

Simon Cowell helps out family with sick daughter

Love him or hate him, Simon Cowell did a nice deed this week.

" The American Idol judge appeared as a guest during Monday's broadcast of The Oprah Winfrey Show and cut a $162,000 personal check to Amy and Randy Stoen, whose 3-year-old daughter Madeline was recently diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. ...click here to read more.

Thanks Simon.

Taylor Hicks and the Children's Miracle Network

Congratulations to the Children's Miracle Network, founded in 1983 by the Osmond family and John Schneider (oh boy did I crush on him when I was a teen!), for reaching their 25th year doing amazing things for kids! Tomorrow night, they will wrap up their celebration with a special medal ceremony for children who were selected for their courage in overcoming medical obstacles and represent every state in the United States, every province in Canada, and new Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Performing at the event is my favorite soul man, Taylor Hicks, as well as Cirque Dreams.

If your kids are healthy, hug them and give thanks. Then, please donate to this great cause.

Until next time,
Lisa