Shea Curry -- Safe Passage Home

When an actor or actress works on a movie, there’s a lot of down time. They are often waiting for lights to be set, scenes to be made and directors to get their shots right. What do they do when there’s nothing to do but wait?

Well, if you’re Shea Curry, you take advantage of the time you have by doing something creative and start another business. Then, you take the time to give a portion of those profits to charity. Shea Curry is a busy actress – she’s been in the Will Smith movie “Hancock,” appeared in “Georgia Rule,” and “Princess Diaries 2.” She has had credits in television including “CSI: Miami,” “Las Vegas” and “Malcolm in the Middle” to name a few and has been featured in soap operas “Guiding Light” and “Days of Our Lives.”

So Shea knows what it’s like to wait in her dressing room. While there, she decided to start a jewelry design business and the cast and crew were interested in buying the jewelry, including the legendary Julie Andrews. She even outfitted her bridal party with jewelry that she custom designed.

The jewelry, now called “Aspire by Shea Curry,” is gorgeous – it’s jewelry collection features moissanite jewels set in precious metals, and 10 percent of all proceeds are donated to Safe Passage Home, a charitable cause that is committed to restoring abused women and their children to a new and better life. Their mission is to provide them with extreme life make over within a three-month period by offering restorative services including safe shelter, counseling, corrective dental and plastic surgery to restore physical damage and neglect, job placement, housing and follow-up support.

Shea and I talked about her jewelry business and Safe Passage Home.

Why did you pick Safe Passage Home?

I did a lot of charity research and sometimes when you put the energy out things come to you. A friend of mine then asked me if I wanted to go to a charity event and it was an event for Safe Passage. I knew it was exactly the kind of charity I was looking to work with. I wanted to do something that empowered women. It pulled at my heartstrings.

Do you know women who have been in abusive relationships?

Yes, this was personal for me. I do have friends that have been in relationships that have not been good. I know how difficult it is to be abused and then want to get out of the relationship and the commitment to do it. To do it, you need so much support.

Have you met women from the Home?

Yes, this past summer I attended the summer annual charity event and met several of the women who have gone through Safe Passage. They like their privacy, but they are still afraid that their abusers might find them – they are terrified. Some have children, a lot of times it’s not the women but the children too. If you are a child, you’re watching your dad beat your mom and the patterns continue. I did get to meet some of them and hear some of their horror stories. Some are missing front teeth, others have miscarried. Horrible stories.

I wanted to meet founder, Trish Steele, because for me it just isn’t about giving proceeds to the charity. I wanted to meet the people involved in it and I did. They were thrilled. They can use all the support financial they can get, as well as the support of wanting to be part of the program.

Why did you make jewelry?

It’s like acting, it fills a creative process. When there was the writer’s strike it allowed me to keep my mental capabilities. Plus, I don’t need to wait for someone to okay a design; it’s mine. It’s therapeutic.

Shea’s jewelry is gorgeous and she says that the women from Safe Passage Home inspire her next designs. Each one is hand made and uniquely different.

Check out her jewelry at www.sheacurry.com.
Part of the jewelry proceeds are donated to Safe Passage Home. Please help support this organization.

Thanks Shea!!!

David Cook runs for Brain Cancer Charity

In the midst of a busy tour schedule, David Cook is planning to take a break for a cause close to his heart on May 3 in Washington, D.C. Cook, 26, whose brother Adam has been battling brain cancer for over a decade, will serve as grand marshal in the Race for Hope 5K, which benefits brain cancer research, and run the race as part of a team he set up – which has already raised more than $40,000. For more on the race, visit curebraintumors.org.

Run hard Cookie!!!!!!! (and feel free to stop by here for an interview when you're done!)

Leonardo diCaprio -- Global Green Auction

Leonardo DiCaprio will offer exclusive items & experiences on eBay.com to benefit Global Green USA. eBay bidders have the opportunity to win:

Personal meet & greet for you and up to three guests with DiCaprio at the red carpet premiere of his upcoming film, Shutter Island; Autographed costume pieces from Catch Me If You Can; Signed memorabilia from Titanic and personalized headshots for the ultimate Leo fan; Additional auction items include an Antarctica coffee table book signed by DiCaprio & Mikhail Gorbachev, Global Green t-shirt signed by DiCaprio, Short eco films DVD signed by DiCaprio with stickers designed by Shepard Fairey, as well as six Global Green USA custom Forest Stewardship Certified wood guitars signed by top recording artists including George Benson, Ozomatli, Counting Crows, T Bone Burnett, Taj Mahal and Brad Paisley.

100% of the proceeds benefit Global Green USA, an organization focused on stemming global climate change.

The Auction runs from 7:00 pm PST on Wednesday, April 15^th, through 7:00 pm PST Wednesday April 22^nd (Earth Day). Bid at www.ebay.com/globalgreen.

About Global Green: Global Green USA is the American affiliate of Green Cross International, founded by President Gorbachev, to foster a global value shift toward a sustainable and secure future. For more than a decade, Global Green's LEED-accredited green building staff has spearheaded applying green technology to green schools and green affordable housing projects throughout California and the nation. Global Green USA is a national leader in advocating for smart solutions to global warming including green building for affordable housing, schools and communities. Global Green USA has influenced more than $20 billion dollars for green building projects and educates millions of people about climate friendly solutions through its annual Red Carpet/Green Cars Oscars campaign. Global Green is also leading efforts to help rebuild a green New Orleans through its sustainable green village and green schools initiatives.

Clay Walker -- Band Against MS

Thirteen years ago, country music superstar Clay Walker had just finished his last show of a tour. His career was going really well and he was about to take two months off to relax a bit. It was perfect timing, because he wasn’t feeling so well. Although he was in good shape, he was experiencing double vision, had cramps in his right hand and his right leg felt like it was asleep. The scariest symptom – a facial spasm – hit him after the show and lasted for eight weeks all day, every day.

Clay didn’t think about his skyrocketing career – he only thought about his health and seeing his children grow up. He went to the doctor and after testing was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, known as MS. MS is a chronic, neurological disease that is thought to attack the healthy areas of the body. In MS, these attacks are aimed at the central nervous system. There’s no cure for MS. Clay talked to me about how he felt when he was diagnosed and how he used his diagnosis to create awareness.

At first I had thought that I had Muscular Dystrophy and I thought I was going to die. After the diagnosis, I was put on a heavy dose of steroids. My symptoms subsided and I prayed a lot during that time.

What did you think about during this time?

Going through this was a great lesson. It really made me think and become introspective. I was raised a Christian and I read the Book of Job every day for eight weeks. You’re taught something your whole life and then you go through something drastic and your faith is tested.

But you didn’t think about what this was going to do to your career?

When you get a diagnosis like this, you can care less about your job. When someone’s on their deathbed, they don’t say, ‘Well, I wish I spent more time at work,’ but it did make me appreciate my career so much more.

How did your fans handle it all?

I found out that fans really do care about the artist. My relationship with the fans was a lot different after that. They said prayers, sent notes – this was real.

Why go public with your condition?

Because hiding something would put too much pressure on me and I didn’t know what it was going to do to me or how it would affect me physically, so if symptoms showed up, I wanted to be able to explain it.

You’ve had MS for 13 years?

Yeah, and you wouldn’t know it right now. It’s been a combination of therapies – therapy does work and folks should know that. I still see people affected by the disease and I admit it does scare me sometimes. But I won’t let myself be there.

What changed you?

For a few months, I was in a cave because I didn’t know if I was going to die or be crippled, but I met this guy at Texas Stadium. He was the building manager, Bruce Hardy. He was walking up to me while I was on a golf cart getting ready to perform in front of 50,000 people in a giant concert. He says, “Man, you’re smiling in all your pics, but now you have a half-hearted smile. What’s wrong?” I told him he wouldn’t understand. He says, “What wouldn’t I understand, I have MS too. I don’t let it get me down, and you can’t let it get to you.” I went out there and performed.

How do you feel now?

I’ve been on therapy for eleven years without one exacerbation. I feel great. I have good and bad days and some days are better than others. Every success is about connecting the dots – connecting dots until we find a cure for this disease. We don’t even know what causes it, so we’re looking for doctors to become part of our team, Band Against MS. I’m hoping people read this article and get involved and help to give us insight. We want to find the code to crack it.

What can my readers do?

We want to hear good news. We want to hear from people who are coping with the disease and nominate someone for our “heros” page. We want to hear from people who are an inspiration in having MS and not letting it beat them. It’s mind body and soul and if someone conquered one of those parts, we want to hear about it.

Clay Walker established BAMS in February 2003, because he wanted to help others. More information about BAMS is available at www.bandagainstms.org

The five goals of BAMS currently include:

• To help provide hope for those living with MS;
• To educate those living with MS about the importance of working with a doctor to help manage MS;
• To encourage individuals living with MS to seek appropriate treatment;
• To fund research seeking a cure for the disease; and
• To fund programs providing assistance to people living with MS.

Band Against MS plans to provide educational information and research grants to institutions searching for a cure or treatment for MS, and fund programs that help those living with the disease.

Anyone wishing to get involved with BAMS' goal to raise money for MS research can make a donation by logging on to the BAMS Web site noted above or by mailing a check or money order to Band Against MS, Inc., 54 Music Square East, Ste. 350, Nashville, TN 37203. Donations will be used to provide funding for programs that impact people living with Multiple Sclerosis, to fund research towards a cure or treatment, and/or to further our goals as stated above.

Thanks Clay!!!!