PAUL McCARTNEY USES THE POWER OF MUSIC TO CLEAR MINEFIELDS

Paul McCartney and other musicians come together in support of the United Nations Adopt-a-Minefield® campaign

NEW YORK – Following the lead of music icon Paul McCartney, artists ranging from talented songstress Celine Dion to legendary rockers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Grammy award winning Maroon 5 have come forward to support Music Clearing Minefields, an initiative of the United Nations Association’s Adopt-A-Minefield® Campaign that uses the power of music to clear minefields. These artists and many others have donated VIP concert tickets, exclusive meet and greets and other incredible experiences to be auctioned on Charity Folks (www.charityfolks.com) to support mine clearing efforts around the world.

The auction, which begins July 6th, supports the continued efforts of Goodwill Ambassadors Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney; “Heather and I have worked hard to raise funds and awareness for Adopt-A-Minefield. We hope that through Music Clearing Minefields, others will become as impassioned about this cause as we are” said McCartney.

Paul has personally donated VIP tickets to his already sold-out tour dates scheduled for September through November, 2005. Coldplay, Meat Loaf, Avril Lavigne, O.A.R, Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson, Collective Soul, John Mellencamp, Jack Johnson, B.B. King and others have done the same! Many of these tickets have been paired with exclusive experiences in various cities across the world including luxurious accommodations, some complete with butler and limousine service.

Adopt-A-Minefield® is a Campaign of the United Nations Association of the USA, which engages individuals, community groups, and businesses in the United Nations effort to resolve the global landmine crisis. In addition to Music Clearing Minefields, Charity Folks will also be hosting the Second Annual Adopt-A-Minefield auction in November, surrounding the campaign’s annual LA gala, with exclusive experiences and memorabilia being auctioned to benefit the cause.

"I have always believed that music makes the world a better place, but not until recently did I fully understand the scope of this statement," McCartney said. "Music Clearing Minefields demonstrates the way music can make the world a safer place."

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY FOR $17.76
Unprecedented auction benefits military family relief organization, Citizens Helping Heroes

NEW YORK, NY – In honor of the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, Citizens Helping Heroes has announced an Independence Day online auction, with all items opening for bidding at $17.76. Legends of the past, including Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Mickey Mantle are headlining this initiative, alongside Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney and other present-day superstars to help support the families of American soldiers.

This unbelievable auction also features one-of-a-kind items from some of the most celebrated artists of all time such as Picasso, Rockwell, Matisse and Dali. Bidding begins on June 30th and runs through July 12th at www.charityfolks.com, the leading online auction venue for nonprofits.

Citizens Helping Heroes and its supporters are hopeful that Americans across the country will bid to help support the troops this Independence Day. Senator John McCain, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1958-1981, commented, “This auction, on the anniversary of our nation's independence, shows that the fire of patriotism is still ablaze in America and that each and every American soldier has a place in our hearts.” Proceeds from the auction benefit various initiatives, including Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS) and the Fisher House Foundation.

Other items, just a click away at www.charityfolks.com, include memorabilia and experiences from the most celebrated artists, athletes, musicians, historical figures and entertainers of all time, including Jackie Kennedy Onassis’ signature cream leather gloves, Marilyn Monroe's hand-beaded nightgown, guitars signed by Paul McCartney and Van Halen, a handwritten note from the desk of John F. Kennedy, a set visit during the final season of Will & Grace, exclusive VIP tickets to Celine Dion’s sold-out show, the chance to meet Jay Leno, a baseball signed my Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams and Elvis memorabilia from Graceland.

Citizens Helping Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the struggles affecting American military families. Their beneficiaries include Tragedy Assistance Programs, Survivors (TAPS), the Fisher House Foundation, USO Washington, Air Force Aid Society, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Army Emergency Relief and Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.

 

CELEBRITIES RALLY TOGETHER FOR HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE AUCTION
NYC, New York Wednesday April 20, 4:07 pm ET

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harlem Children's Zone recently opened Promise Academy, a charter school that former President Bill Clinton called a "powerful beacon of light shedding rays of hope" throughout Harlem. Today, Harlem Children's Zone announced that they have partnered with Charity Folks to host their first ever online auction. "This amazing initiative will enable people around the world to "bid to give" and help us in our mission to enhance the quality of life for children and families in some of New York City's most devastated neighborhoods," said Geoff Canada, founder of the Harlem Children's Zone.
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The auction will be online at http://www.charityfolks.com until April 26th, and offer spectacular over the top lots such as a round of golf with Adam Scott and Hedge Fund wizard Stan Druckenmiller, a day on the set of Larry David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with a stay at the luxurious Casa Del Mar and a VIP trip to Las Vegas aboard the Global Express, with golf lessons from Butch Harmon and entertainment from Celine Dion.

If you're after some intellectual stimulation, you can bid on a "Power Breakfast" with Civil Rights legend and Washington Power Broker Vernon Jordan, a "Power Lunch" with American Express CEO Ken Chenault or VIP tickets to a taping of Dennis Miller's insightful show with accommodations at Maison 140.

If you want some "cocktail party" banter, you can bid on tickets to the season finale of Heidi Klum's Project Runway, ringside seats to watch Julio Cesar Chavez and Ivan "Mighty" Robinson battle in LA, an impossible to get table at Rao's, or the chance to meet Jay Leno, while you stay at the chic Viceroy Santa Monica.

Other great lots include A-List celebrities and athletes such as Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Buffett, Sarah McLachlan, Jerry Seinfeld, Greg Norman, Shaquille O'Neal, Rudy Giuliani, Rod Stewart, Norah Jones, Joe Montana, and many more.

Founded in 1970, HCZ has developed a network of neighborhood-based programs that address the critical needs of children and families in Harlem and lead to the revitalization of this devastated community.

AUCTION TO NAME NEW MONKEY SPECIES BEGINS; EVENT HAS SPARKED WORLDWIDE INTEREST
NYC, New York February. 23, 2005

The online auction to name an entire species of monkey recently discovered by the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society, kicks off tomorrow, Feb. 24th and runs through March 3rd. The auction, hosted by Charity Folks (www.charityfolks.com), a leading online auction venue for nonprofits, has sparked global interest, from Hollywood celebrities, to prospective bidders around the world.

Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres announced she wanted to get in on the bidding action in naming the monkey. Viewers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated, check local listings) will have the opportunity to collectively bid by making non-refundable donations to Ellen's Monkey Naming Pool. If the Pool does not win the auction, the donations will still go to the Wildlife Conservation Society to support Madidi where the new species was discovered.

Additionally, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” will auction several pairs of Ellen’s sneakers and an outfit from Ellen’s show wardrobe. These lots will close earlier (Mar 3rd at 12pm EST) than the monkey naming lot (Mar 3rd at 7pm EST) so that the winning bids can be added to Ellen's Monkey Naming Pool as well.

Actor Michael Keaton has also expressed interest in helping protect the monkey’s rainforest home in Bolivia. Other celebrities have shown support by donating items for the online auction including Colin Farrell, Shania Twain, Heath Ledger, Jay Leno, Alanis Morissette, Phillip Bloch and Orlando Bloom. The auction also includes a variety of trips, from a pampered stay at the Mark Hotel in New York, to a safari in Africa and an island get-away off the coast of Australia.

According to officials at Charity Folks, advance inquiries about the auction have come in from a dozen countries and from all walks of life. “We've had a 10-year-old girl want to name the species after her little brother and a number of top fortune 500 executives inquiring about the rules,” said a Charity Folks rep. Among other high profile auctions, Charity Folks recently auctioned a guitar autographed by former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney and lunch with President Bill Clinton.

WCS discovered the currently unnamed, brown-and-orange monkey last year in Bolivia’s Madidi National Park, the most biologically rich protected area on earth situated in South America’s poorest nation. Very little is known about the new monkey except that it stands about a foot tall, weighs two pounds and likes fruit. In the morning pairs of them gather and “duet,” calling back and forth while clutching each other in what resembles a human embrace.

“This is conservation at its most pragmatic,” said WCS President and CEO Dr. Steven Sanderson. “The auction will give the public a chance to help Bolivia safeguard one of the world’s crown jewels for wildlife, reminding us that the future of conservation is on everyone’s shoulders.”

WCS Conservationist Dr. Robert Wallace, who discovered the monkey, said the auction will raise money for Bolivia’s park service to better protect the better enforcement, protection and management of Madidi and its wildlife. “This opportunity is for someone who wants to leave behind a truly lasting legacy that they cared about conservation and wildlife,” said Dr. Wallace.

The high bidder will have the name of their choice permanently entered into all future references, including scientific publications, field guides, and other publications, that mention the new species.

Madidi National Park, established in 1995, contains a stunning array of habitat types – from lowland forests to alpine meadows surrounded by glaciers – all in an area about the size of New Jersey. Besides the new monkey, inside its border live healthy populations of jaguars, giant river otters, over 1,000 bird species and many varieties of rare orchids and other unique plants.

Max and Vicky Kennedy have teamed up with the "Urban Ecology Institute” to launch one of the most anticipated charitable events of the year.
NYC, New York - December 1, 2004

Their online auction goes live on December 1st and will feature amazing contributions from the Kennedy’s unique circle of friends and supporters. Whether you want to get “Lost” in paradise on the set of ABC’s hottest new show, catch a Sox game from President Kennedy’s old seats, make your “red carpet debut” at a hot movie premiere with Jennifer Lopez, go backstage with the cast of Hairspray while staying at the ultra-hip and luxurious W Hotel in Times Square, get a private tour of the Kennedy Library by Max himself, go behind the scenes of the West Wing, or add autographed movie scripts and books to your collection, there will be something there for you. If you’re after a little down time, perhaps you’d enjoy a day of falconry in the luscious Hudson Valley with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., lunching with Owen Wilson, unwinding on a 20,000 acre vacation resort in Hato Garza, fly fishing in New Zealand, or a summer afternoon in Hyannis Port with the Kennedy’s. Visit www.charityfolks.com so you can bid to give and make a difference.

The Urban Ecology Institute pursues their mission through two powerful capacity-building programs for communities in the Greater Boston Area. The first, the Urban Ecology Field Studies Program, builds community capacity at the source for civic engagement: public schools. UEI’s second program, the Natural Cities Program, fosters urban ecosystem transformation through focused, community-based projects. Such projects repair the physical environment, restore vibrant communities, and provide opportunities for new economic enterprises. UEI’s community-based urban ecology programs enhance the civic fabric of the city by building on local leadership, providing opportunities for increased civic engagement, and enabling residents to leverage their community assets to transform their neighborhoods.

The Paris Review Launches the "THE WORLD OF THE PARIS REVIEW: THE GREATEST INTERNATIONAL LITERARY MAGAZINE, COMPLETE WITH SPORTS, STARS, LITERARY SUPERNOVAS, AND OF COURSE THE IRRESPRESSIBLE SPIRIT OF FOUNDER AND LATE EDITOR GEORGE PLIMPTON”
NYC, New York - November 9, 2004

The Paris Review is excited to announce the launch of the "THE WORLD OF THE PARIS REVIEW: THE GREATEST INTERNATIONAL LITERARY MAGAZINE, COMPLETE WITH SPORTS, STARS, LITERARY SUPERNOVAS, AND OF COURSE THE IRRESPRESSIBLE SPIRIT OF FOUNDER AND LATE EDITOR GEORGE PLIMPTON" one of the most anticipated charitable events of the year. The Paris Review's unique circle of friends, contributors and supporters have generously donated spectacular literary items and events, extraordinary, exotic and luxurious global excursions, personal interactions with noted directors, producers, actors and writers, and the finest series of limited edition signed prints by the greatest artists of the twentieth century.

The auction goes live on November 9th and will feature personal contributions from literary giants like Hunter S. Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut, Peter Matthiessen, Jim Carroll and Jay McInerney. Ever dream of sharing drinks with Harper’s Editor in Chief Lewis Lapham? Or talk show host Charlie Rose? What about pop superstar Jimmy Buffett, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Inside the Actor’s Studio’s James Lipton, Alec Baldwin or the US Olympic medal-winning Men's & Women's Eight? You are in luck. Visit www.charityfolks.com and bid to give. And in giving, signal your support for the most important cause in culture: reviving an interest in the world of words, writing, and literature.

The Paris Review Foundation was created to support the publication of The Paris Review and to extend the vibrant, creatively bold tradition of the magazine to a wider audience. In late fall 2004, the Foundation will launch its DNA OF LITERATURE PROJECT: THE COMPLETE PARIS REVIEW INTERVIEW ONLINE at www.theparisreview.org, making this acclaimed series available free of charge to writers, readers and scholars internationally. Through author events and other creative programming, The Paris Review Foundation is committed to bringing literature more firmly into the public realm, as something to be experienced, enjoyed, and celebrated by people from all walks of life.
Drawing on The Paris Review's long-established tradition of marrying intellectual life with revelry, and urbanity with play, The Paris Review Foundation is in a unique position to enliven literary life on local, national, and international levels.

PAUL McCARTNEY/GIBSON GUITAR TO DONATE FIRST McCARTNEY ‘SIGNATURE 1964 EPIPHONE TEXAN’ FOR ONLINE AUCTION TO BENEFIT ADOPT-A-MINEFIELD

Bidding To Start At 8:00 A.M EST Wednesday, October 6th; One Week Auction To Coincide With Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney Hosted October 15th Adopt-A-Minefield Gala

October 5, 2004…Paul McCartney, along with Gibson Guitar, announced today that the first Paul McCartney ‘Signature 1964 Epiphone Texan’ #001, will be auctioned to benefit Adopt-A-Minefield, the landmine clearance and survivor assistance campaign. The guitar, an exact replica of the one McCartney used to write and perform “Yesterday,” will be signed and made available to bidders around the globe exclusively at www.charityfolks.com. Bidding begins on Wednesday, October 6th at 8:00 A.M. EST and concludes on Wednesday, October 14th at 2:00 P.M. EST.

The online auction will coincide with the much-anticipated Adopt-A-Minefield Los Angeles Gala hosted by Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills McCartney on Friday, October 15th at the Century City Plaza Hotel. The event will feature a live auction of the second ‘Signature 1964 Epiphone Texan’ #002, and will be hosted by late-night host Jay Leno. McCartney and singer/songwriter Neil Young will be brought together for a special performance.

“It’s exciting to have my old guitar reproduced by Gibson,” said McCartney. “It’s exact and what’s more it sounds great.”

"We are proud and privileged to have worked with Paul McCartney in creating his 1964 Signature Epiphone Texan," said Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. "The ability to make #001 and #002 available for the Adopt-A-Minefield auction, and the chance to work with Paul, and his wife Heather Mills McCartney to raise funds for such a worthy and humane cause, is especially gratifying."

“It is going to be interesting to see how a priceless item gets priced,” said Nahela Hadi, Executive Director of Adopt-A-Minefield. “We’re prepared to accommodate the response that this guitar is sure to get and we cannot thank Paul and Gibson enough for their generous contribution.”

The guitars being auctioned are part of the first of a run of 40 hand-built Epiphones, which will be produced in the United States by the Gibson Guitar Corp. under the supervision and direction of Sir Paul McCartney himself. They are serial numbers #001 and #002 and will be signed. The guitars celebrate the 40 years since that historic Ed Sullivan performance, for which it was used. They are each hand-aged to duplicate McCartney’s Epiphone as it appears today.

The October 15th Adopt-A-Minefield Gala will be hosted by Paul and Heather to raise awareness of the landmine problem, a crisis that affects over one-third of the world’s nations. During the first three years, this event has raised over $2.3 million and has attracted the support of celebrities and citizens worldwide.

About Adopt-A-Minefield®
Adopt-A-Minefield® is a program of the United Nations Association of the USA in partnership with the United Nations, Ted Turner’s Better World Fund, and the U.S. Department of State. The Campaign engages individuals, community groups, and businesses in the international effort to resolve the global landmine crisis. Since its launch in 1999, the Campaign has raised over $12 million for mine action, clearing over 18 million square meters of land and helping thousands of landmine survivors. Visit www.landmines.org to learn more.

About Gibson Guitar
Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson’s digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, MI, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Chickering and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.

For Immediate Release

DOUBLETAKE ANNOUNCES ONLINE AUCTION WITH CHARITY FOLKS
Boston, MA - May 27, 2004

DoubleTake Magazine-the award-winning publication about everyday life as lived by real people-is getting some support from some very non-everyday people: celebrities. The magazine has announced plans for "The DoubleTake Auction: Real Life. Real People. Surprising Stories," packed with stars including; Matt Damon, Diane Sawyer, Tom Brokaw, Meryl Streep, Bruce Springsteen, Glenn Close, the Kennedy family, photographer Richard Avedon, treasure hunter Barry Clifford, filmmaker Ken Burns, and DoubleTake founder, Robert Coles.

Charity Folks, the premier online-charity auction venue, was selected to conduct the high profile fundraising event. Some highlights include: joining Matt Damon as his guest at the premiere of The Bourne Supremacy, spending a star studded evening on Broadway with Glenn Close including tickets, backstage passes and dinner at Orso's with her post show, taking a tour of ABC Studios with Diane Sawyer, spending a day with the Kennedys at their compound in Hyannisport, scuba-diving with renowned treasure hunter and undersea explorer Barry Clifford, meeting Tom Brokaw and viewing The NBC Nightly News from the control room and having a lunch with renowned Harvard professor and one of America's most prominent child psychiatrists Robert Coles (Founder of DoubleTake) in Cambridge. Memorabilia donated to the auction include a signed copy of Avedon: The Sixties. The incredible events and experiences for this summer auction are a preview of a larger fall auction planned for late September. The auction will raise funds for DoubleTake and, through the far-reaching power of the Internet, dramatically raise awareness for its documentary work.

DoubleTake-founded by Pulitzer-Prize winner and Harvard professor Robert Coles in 1995-has won nearly every award imaginable while documenting everyday life in America and across the globe. Its evocative photography, literary journalism, fiction, and beautiful design-along with its passionate conviction that life's most profound stories are right under our noses-make it a national publication like no other. After a year-long publishing hiatus, the non-profit bi-monthly will re-launch in 2004.

By supporting this auction, you'll become a partner in DoubleTake's return to the newsstand and help support DoubleTake's educational work with high school and college students and their teachers. All proceeds go to the 501(c)(3) DoubleTake Community Service Corporation.

For Immediate Release

CHEVY CHASE EARTH DAY AUCTION FILLED WITH TOP CELEBRITIES

Bedford, New York- April 12, 2004

Jayni and Chevy Chase have announced their plans for " The Chevy Chase Earth Day Auction," which will launch April 22, 2004 as a star studded online event.

Jayni and Chevy founded the Center for Environmental Education in 1989 as a non-profit organization that grew out of their realization that K-12 teachers lacked easy access to the many inspiring environmental resources available. Over the past fifteen years, The Center has become a vital link between in-the trenches educators and important developments in Environmental Education. Studies clearly demonstrate that when students are given lessons using the environments as the integrating context, test scores rise across the board, discipline problems drop and personal involvement in their communities rises sharply.

Charity Folks, the leading online charity and technology experts, were enlisted to conduct a high profile, non-traditional fundraising event, "The Chevy Chase Earth Day Auction." There is incredible media buzz planned and the list of celebrity participants and one of-a- kind trips is incredible. The auction will raise much needed funds for The Center and, through the far reaching power of the Internet, dramatically raise awareness for its work.

Whether it's having lunch with President Clinton and Chevy Chase, playing golf with Bill Murray, meeting John McEnroe or Chris Evert for tennis or going backstage with Simon Cowell on American Idol or with Norah Jones at one of her concerts, Jayni and Chevy are thrilled with the excitement that is building for the two week event. Literally scores of their friends from the world of Hollywood and professional sports will be participating including Russell Simmons, Goldie Hawn, Lucy Liu, Kid Rock, Harrison Ford, David Bowie, Paul Newman, Mike Meyers, David Letterman, Paul Shaffer, Conan O'Brien, Nicole Kidman, Randy Quaid, Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, Magic Johnson, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer. Top environmentally friendly companies such as Roots, Ben and Jerry's, Patagonia, The Audubon Society and Disney are also all generous contributors. There will be dozens of unique lots geographically located from Hollywood on the West Coast to New York City or Maine on the East.