LOS ANGELES, Oct. 6, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Hollywood's brightest stars will gather at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on Saturday, Oct. 7, for the second Noche de Ninos Gala to benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
Oscar-nominated actor Johnny Depp, McDonald's Corporation CEO Ralph Alvarez, and philanthropists Debbie and Mark Attanasio will each receive the "Courage to Care Award" for their commitment to children and children's charities.
"This will be a night like no other," says Giselle Fernandez-Farrand, who is the organizing chair and event producer of the gala, and a member of the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Board of Trustees. "It will be a night of Latin heat and Hollywood glamour, and a night to make a real difference for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and the children and families it serves."
Co-chairs for the event include Jeffrey Katzenberg, Cheryl Saban, Ph.D., and Victoria Simms, Ph.D. Both Dr. Saban and Dr. Simms are members of the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Board of Trustees.
Access Hollywood's Billy Bush will host the evening's festivities. Actor and comedian Ray Romano will perform, and comedian Billy Crystal will host the evening's live auction, sponsored by Christie's auction house.
Mr. Katzenberg will present Ralph Alvarez with his award; baseball commissioner Bud Selig will present Debbie and Mark Attanasio with their award; and Jennifer Lopez, the 2004 "Courage to Care" honoree, will present Johnny Depp with his award.
"Johnny Depp embodies the very spirit of the `Courage to Care' Award because he puts smiles on the faces of thousands of children through his great work on film, and his longtime private advocacy of children and children's charities is nothing short of inspirational," says Ms. Fernandez-Farrand.
"By creating, finding and supporting programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children," she says, "Ralph Alvarez and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) are working to better the lives of children and their families around the world.
"Debbie and Mark Attanasio," Ms. Fernandez-Farrand says, "have continually supported children's organizations, and we are fortunate, indeed, to call them patrons of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles."
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles has been treating the most seriously ill and injured children in Los Angeles for more than a century, and it is acknowledged throughout the United States and around the world for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. Childrens Hospital is one of America's premier teaching hospitals, and it is a national leader in pediatric research.
The inaugural Noche de Ninos Gala in 2004 raised nearly $2 million for the hospital.
Visit our website: www.ChildrensHospitalLA.org