2008 NAACP Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend Features Special Closing Night Gala and Presentation of the Key to the City to ANTM Alum, Toccara Jones. Current Corporate and In-Kind Sponsors Include AK Steel, Miami University of Middletown and The Manchester Inn.
Middletown, OH - The NAACP Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend, the largest local chapter event in the organization’s history, announced today that Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds will serve as Honorary Chair of this year's Gala. In addition, serving as Honorary Co-Chair this year will be J. Phillip Holloman, President and COO of Cintas, a Nasdaq-100 company based in Cincinnati, Ohio that provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types throughout North America, reported sales of $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2007 and employs 34,000 partner-employees in more than 400 locations.
Realizing that freedom is not free, the purpose of the Freedom fund banquet is to serve as the major fundraiser for scholarships and the general operations for the local NAACP which will afford each unit the resources to support the mission/vision of the NAACP which is that all people are entitled to political, social, economic, and educational rights free of racial hatred and discrimination.
This year's event, themed "Our Youth Are Our Future" will be held from Friday, October 31, 2008 – Saturday, November 1 and, for the first year, will feature a Celebrity Basketball Game, Youth Breakfast, Live, Silent and Online Auction events. Model, Actress and Television Personality, Toccara Jones, has been selected to receive the key to the City of Middletown and is our guest of honor during this weekend long event. Approximately 2,000 people are projected to be in attendance. Over the years, funds raised from this event have supported multiple civil rights and community development activities. This year, however, funds raised will be used to support our most vital asset in this community – our youth. All events will be held at Miami University of Middletown in various areas of the campus. Tickets are currently on sale and available for purchase at the event website www.celebrityweekend.co.nr
The weekend-long festivities will feature live entertainment and for the first time, several celebrities will be in attendance to assist the chapter with fundraising efforts. The 2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend will culminate in the special closing night Gala, which will include a silent and live auction, dinner, photo opportunities and gift bags to selected guests, speakers and celebrities.
"I think this year stands to take the Middletown Area NAACP's Freedom Fund to a different level,” says President of the Middletown Area NAACP, Anita Scott Jones. “Although we are not a big city, this event will have a big-city feel and will allow Middletown to be seen in a positive light by others. This year we are thinking out of the box with location, entertainment and the speaker. I am pleased to be a part of this new movement to include youth, seniors and all those in between while we continue to promote the educational, social, political, and economic rights of all people.”
"We're thrilled to have an amazing artist like “Babyface” sign on as honorary chair for this year's festivities," said CulPatrice Foster, Event Coordinator of the Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend. "The exciting lineup of celebrity and local talent rounds out our mission to raise funds and awareness for area youth programs as well as allows the local chapter to function throughout the year.”
"I am honored to have been selected as the National Honorary Chair for this year’s NAACP Middletown event,” Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds shared. “I believe in the NAACP and without question support great programs that educate and empower today's youth in every community. For this reason, I openly and humbly accepted this invitation to serve the NAACP."
The event is still seeking marquis sponsorship from several area and national companies who have continued to support throughout the history of the chapter as well as attract new sponsor organizations that may not have been active in past events.
Notable Auction Items Include:
Authentic pearls valued at $500 from Pearl Paradise, a priceless autographed football from Cris Carter, former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver, a seven-day Caribbean Cruise, Roundtrip Airfare and a five-night stay at Hyatt Resorts in Cancun or Acapulco, a hot air balloon adventure in the city of your choice including a hotel 2-night hotel stay, and many others.
For more information about the 2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend presented by the Middletown Area NAACP, please visit or www.celebrityweekend.co.nr
ABOUT THE NAACP:
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
ABOUT KENNY “BABYFACE” EDMONDS:
A 10-time Grammy winner with 11 solo albums of his own, Edmonds’ impeccably crafted explorations of love, romance and relationships have made an indelible imprint on the evolution of contemporary pop music throughout the world: over 125 Top-10 R&B and Pop hits, 41 #1 R&B hits, and 51 Top-10 Pop hits (including 16 #1’s), which have produced single and album sales in excess of over 100 million units.
ABOUT GEM PUBLIC RELATIONS:
About GEM Public Relations (GEM PR) - GEM Public Relations is a West Los Angeles-based firm specializing in national and public relations and marketing communications. We established GPR to assist our clients in reaching higher levels of notoriety in their selected fields. We specialize in entertainment and lifestyle public relations in addition to offering services in other areas. For more information please visit us at www.gem-pr.com
2008 Freedom Fund Celebrity Weekend Events
FRIDAY October 31, 2008
· Celebrity Basketball Game LOCATION: Bennett Recreational Center Miami University of Middletown
· Celebrity Media Day for Radio and TV Outlets
SATURDAY November 1, 2008
Freedom Fund Youth Breakfast LOCATION: The Miriam Noll Campus Community Center Miami University of Middletown
· Presentation of Youth Ambassador Award to outstanding area youth
· VIP Reception
· Silent Auction
· Meet and Greet
· Refreshments
NAACP Freedom Fund Gala LOCATION: Finkelman Auditorium at Miami University Middletown Campus
· Live Auction with Celebrity Auctioneers
· Celebrity Performance
· Celebrity keynote speech - TBA
· Key to the City Presentation to Toccara Jones
www.celebrityweekend.co.nr
LaRashia Simone Edwards walking the red carpet interviewing all celebrities.
CONTACT:
Toi Troutman for Press Inquiries and Celebrity RSVP
888-575-1241, gempublicity@gmail.com
Culpatrice Foster for Freedom Fund Weekend Tickets and Information
937-974-1325, mtocelebrityweekend@gmail.com
