LOS ANGELES, CA – July 29, 2004 – Tim Maurer, Board of Directors’ President for Variety – The Children’s Charity of the United States, announced plans today for the 2004-2005 Gold Heart Campaign. For this very special year, Variety has partnered with Sony Pictures Entertainment whereby the iconic Gold Heart Pin will have inlaid red webbing, representative of Columbia Pictures’ and Marvel Enterprises’ Spider-Man®. Mr. Maurer stated, “We are excited to partner with Sony on our anniversary year and hope that we can raise even more funds for the children in need around the world.”
The 2004-2005 Gold Heart fund raising campaign will begin selling the Spider-Man pin in movie theatres throughout the United States in November of this year. Geoffrey Ammer, President of Worldwide Marketing for the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, commented, “We are proud to support a charitable effort that has been such a wonderful part of our industry for 15 years. It’s our hope that by using the iconic webbing from Spider-Man on this year’s Gold Heart Pin, we will help Variety achieve its annual fundraising goals for this very special program.”
Last year was the charity’s third year in partnering with a Hollywood film studio to create special images on the Gold Heart Pins. The 2003-2004 Gold Heart’s ET – The Extraterrestrial image raised $1.5 million dollars in the United States alone. It is hoped that this year’s Spider-Man image will entice donations in excess of that amount. As in previous years, the pins will be sold internationally as well.
Maurer went on to commend Variety’s Southern California Chapter for leading the way in film studio support of the Gold Heart Campaign. According to Maurer, “For the last ten years, our Southern California Chapter has led the charge and created these close associations with the film studios. This involvement has been key to the success of the Gold Heart fund raising campaigns.”
VARIETY – THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY – With a seven-decade legacy of caring for children across the globe, Variety has become the largest and most effective children’s charity in the world. The organization has grown to 51 chapters in 13 countries, raising over $1 billion to assist the treatment and care for disabled and disadvantaged children.
Variety’s legacy continues now into the 21st Century with the genuinely altruistic support, partnerships and sponsorships provided by major motion picture studios, movie theatres, national and international retailers and major corporations.
To list only a few of Variety’s accomplishments: They assist at-risk children by providing medical treatment and special equipment for afflicted children to help them become more mobile. They help fight illiteracy, offer scholarships and support local hospital and major university research. They also provide after school curriculums to keep kids off the streets. Variety funds crisis centers, hotlines, therapy, pediatric AIDS and cancer research. Many disabled children are served by Variety’s Sunshine Coaches, generously sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, providing much-needed transportation and, in conjunction with the “Variety at Work” program, taking kids to outreach activities.
For more information contact:
Ana LaDou
Phone: (310) 285-0524