Record executive/Mogul
Russell Simmons and rapper Snoop Dogg are tapping into the power of the Internet
to aid youth and victims of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita.
Simmons, founder
of Def Jam and CEO of Rush Communications, is taking part in the fourth annual
Lunch With A Leader celebrity online auction, which started Feb. 10 on eBay
and ends Feb. 20.
"Good leaders
make good servants," Simmons told AllHipHop.com. "It’s a great program
and I am glad for the opportunity to serve them."
Dozens of celebrities
will donate an hour of their time, which will be auctioned off to the highest
bidder. All proceeds will benefit Communities In Schools, the nation’s largest
dropout prevention organization.
Alicia Keys, Earvin
"Magic" Johnson and Patti LaBelle are among the artists participating
in the auction, along with Dan Glickman, the Motion Picture Association of America’s
chairman and CEO; Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios; and Richard
Lovett, president of Creative Artists Agency.
"It is very
reassuring to know that we can rely upon our friends in the entertainment industry
to assist us in our mission of keeping kids in school," said Bill Milliken,
founder and vice chairman of Communities In Schools. "The dropout issue
has become a large problem in the United States and these leaders are helping
make a difference in children’s lives."
For more information
visit www.ebay.com/lunchwithaleader/
In related news,
Snoop Dogg has teamed with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation to take part
in the Housewarming for Habitat celebrity auction on eBay to help raise funds
for victims of Hurricane’s Katrina and Rita.
The auction features
various personal items donated by recording, television, movie and sports legends.
Items up for bid
include an hour in the studio with Snoop Dogg, a copy of the script to "One
Few Over The Cuckoo’s News" signed by producer Michael Douglas, a round
of golf with veteran actor Samuel L. Jackson, and a round of golf with NBA legend
Clyde Drexler.
Donald Trump,
Charlie Sheen, Dr. Phil and others are also auctioning personal items to help
in the effort to rebuild houses.
All proceeds are
being donated to the Habitat For Humanity Operation Home Delivery Fund, which
will help rebuild the thousands of homes destroyed by Katrina and Rita.
"I toured
the Gulf Coast region after the storms and the devastation was absolutely overwhelming;
television pictures did not do it justice," said Jim Gillespie, president
and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. "Now, six months out,
it is critical to continue fundraising so that the destroyed areas can be rebuilt.
With the help of generous celebrities…we hope to raise significant dollars
for the Operation Home Delivery Fund."
Previews of the
items available for auction are available at www.ebay.com/coldwellbanker and
live bidding starts Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. E.T.
