First Star's Sixth Annual Celebration for Children's Rights - 'Come Be a Kid
Again' November 15, 2009 Honoring Humanitarians and Visionaries for Their
Devotion to Helping Children
First Star to Honor Jeff Bleich, Former-Special Counsel to the President of
the United States and Partner with Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP; Chris
'Ludacris' Bridges, Musician/Actor/Philanthropist; Stephen Davis, President,
Hasbro Studios and his family, Peggy, Hannah, Will and Cadence; Melissa
Helmbrecht, Chair and CEO, SplashLife, Inc.; and Louise Horvitz, MSW, Psy.D
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- First Star, a leading national advocacy
group dedicated to improving life for child victims of abuse and neglect, will
hold its sixth annual Celebration for Children's Rights event on November 15,
2009 at the historic Wilshire Ebell. Families from the Los Angeles business,
entertainment, medical and legal communities, along with many celebrities,
will join First Star in honoring this year's award recipients -- Jeff Bleich,
Former Special Counsel to the President and Partner on Leave with Munger,
Tolles & Olson, LLP; Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Musician, Actor, and
Philanthropist; Stephen Davis, President, Hasbro Studios and his family,
Peggy, Hannah, Will and Cadence; Melissa Helmbrecht, Chair and CEO,
SplashLife, Inc.; and Louise Horvitz, MSW, Psy.D -- for their humanitarian
efforts on behalf of children.
The evening's theme, "Come Be a Kid Again," brings us back to the place of joy
and wonderment that is childhood. The unique, casual event includes live
entertainment, carnival games for guests of all ages, catering by Los Angeles'
finest as well as luxury prizes from top sponsors, including American
Airlines.
Established in 1999, First Star improves the lives of America's abused and
neglected children by strengthening their rights, illuminating systemic
failures, and igniting reform to correct them. Through the pursuit of
research, public engagement, policy advocacy, and litigation, First Star's
nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborative action among
organizations, advocates, practitioners and policy makers working to benefit
children.
Christine Devine, anchor of the No. 1-ranked Fox 11 Ten O'clock News and
sister station Channel 13, returns to host the event. Devine is an 14-time
Emmy winner, and for the past 15 years she has profiled foster children
seeking adoptive homes on her "Wednesday's Child" segment. Last month she was
honored by Congress with the "Angels in Adoption" award.
"With our whole society in stress, it's important not to forget the 800,000
foster children and the 3.5 million abused and neglected children in our
midst," states Peter Samuelson, President and Co-Founder of First Star. "These
children are our future. Giving them legal representation and a platform for
their voices to be heard is our mission and it has never been more vital than
right now."
"I'm honored to be part of First Star. First Star understands that every child
needs one thing above all else: a consistent, loving person in their life,"
states Jeff Bleich, former Special Counsel to the President. "By motivating,
training, and connecting loving people to the children who need them, First
Star makes all of our lives better."
Last month, First Star published a second edition of its groundbreaking 2007
Child's Right to Counsel Campaign and Report Card. These reports serve as
objective, performance-evaluating tools in which all 50 states and the
District of Columbia receive A through F letter grades based on statutes,
court rules and practice. They raise public awareness that not all child
victims of abuse and neglect who receive court action are entitled to the
basic civil legal right of attorney representation in foster care and
dependency hearings. They have ignited legislative reform in poorly performing
states.
About First Star
First Star is a national 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1999 to
strengthen the rights and improve the lives of America's abused and neglected
children through education, public policy, legislative reform, and litigation.
Our nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborative action among
organizations, advocates, practitioners and policy-makers working to benefit
children.
We work towards a day when children's voices are heard and their basic civil
rights recognized if they must pass through the child protective system. The
professionals who these children interact with are well-trained,
well-coordinated, and fairly compensated, and the court system that
adjudicates their welfare and determines their future is open and accountable
to the public for its actions and decisions.
For additional information, honoree bios, interviews or images, please contact
Natalie Svider or Lindsey Rowe at CelebrationPR@FirstStar.org. For event
tickets, please visit www.firststar.org/news/comebeakid.
Media Contact:
Natalie A. Svider, First Star Media & PR Co-Chair
818-370-2468 / CelebrationPR@firststar.org
Lindsey Rowe, First Star Media & PR Co-Chair
805-815-7693 / CelebrationPR@firststar.org
For ticket information:
Robin Winston, Levy, Pazanti & Associates
310-201-5033 / robin@lpaevents.com
SOURCE First Star
Natalie A. Svider, First Star Media & PR Co-Chair, +1-818-370-2468,
CelebrationPR@firststar.org, or Lindsey Rowe, First Star Media & PR Co-Chair,
+1-805-815-7693, CelebrationPR@firststar.org; or for ticket information, Robin
Winston of Levy, Pazanti & Associates, +1-310-201-5033, robin@lpaevents.com,
for First Star
