pediped®, footwear has announced that more than 50 well-known entertainers and athletes will participate in Stars for a Wish, an online auction of autographed pediped® baby shoes to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The auction will run Oct. 25-Nov. 1 on Charity Buzz.

In total there are 57 Celebrities who have signed pediped® baby shoes for the auction.

Some of them include:
MOVIES:

• Jessica Alba
• Halle Berry
• Pierce Brosnan
• Andy Garcia
• Molly Ringwald
• Rachel Weisz

TELEVISION

• Tim Allen
• Courtney Cox Arquette
• Marcia Cross
• Jennie Garth
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Elisabeth Hasselbeck
• Heidi Klum
• Charlie Sheen
• Jon Stewart

MUSIC

• Clay Aiken,
• Kenny Chesney
• Faith Hill
• Sugarland

SPORTS

• Tiger Woods
• Jerome Bettis
• Anna Kournikova
• Shaquille O’Neal
• Mark Teixeira
• David Ortiz

Bidding will start at $250 for the signed shoes. Recipients will receive the shoes attractively displayed in a cherry-finished shadow box or clear acrylic box complete with an engraved plaque.

The Stars for a Wish fundraiser has a minimum goal of $25,000, which will help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. One-hundred percent of the funds raised through the auction will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“We were overwhelmed by the willingness of so many celebrities, many of them already familiar with our brand, to generously help us support this cause,” said Angela Edgeworth, President and Co-Founder of pediped® footwear. “Now it’s all up to the public to bid high for these shoes so they not only receive a beautifully presented keepsake from their favorite celebrity, but more importantly, so they will be helping children facing life-threatening medical conditions.”

To learn more about the Stars for a Wish fundraiser and to view a complete list of participating celebrities, visit www.pediped.com/stars.

Nicholas was born seven weeks premature on Jan. 18, 2005, and his under-developed lungs didn’t function properly, said his father, Robert Freitas of Escondido. The boy – who weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces at birth – spent several weeks in the intensive care unit.

Now, that Nicholas is a healthy and well-adjusted his parents wanted to contribute something to the hospital. They eventually settled on the idea of selling the red Porsche 911 (997).

“I don’t know if it was an epiphany or something,” Robert Freitas said. “I thought (the car) is just a material possession. I don’t really need this.”

The couple bought the Porsche about 1½ years ago for about $120,000, and the vehicle has less than 3,500 miles on it.

“That was my baby. I just know I won’t regret selling it” for Rady Children’s Hospital, Freitas said. “When you see an unhealthy child, it really breaks your heart.”

The car is being sold through the Hoehn Porsche dealership in Carlsbad, where it is on display. The Freitases hope the sale will raise $75,000 for the medical center.

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Thinking that the house would be like a hostel, I politely turned her down saying I would commute (45 mins each way).

Both my mom and my husband asked me to at least tour the house before I said no and I am glad I did.

From the moment I opened the door, I was impressed. The house was not only clean, but fresh and welcoming. The staff always had a smile for me, regardless of how crummy my day had been at the hospital. My room was like a suite at a 4 star hotel.

If I had needed one, a crib would have been provided as well as other gear I may have needed if a small child was staying with me.

A games room, toy room and large living room were open at all hours for families to relax in after a long day at the hospital.

The kitchen was designed to accommodate 3 cooking families at one time. It was also generously stocked with snacks, basics and dinner items if families were low of funds and not able to afford groceries.

As you can imagine, the Ronald McDonald House meant a great deal to me while my son was in the hospital. Even though it was $10/night, it gave us a safe, clean place to sleep while we waited for our guy to be healthy enough to be transferred closer to home.

Yesterday, Celebrity Friends of RMHC Cindy Crawford, Dayanara Torres, June Ambrose, and Tamia hosted a special Mother’s Day event to salute moms staying at the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House.

Moms were treated to manicures and neck and shoulder massages, given make-up tips, gift bags filled with beauty items and a catered lunch.

While co-hosting the event, supermodel Cindy Crawford said

“It will be very special to watch these incredible mothers take a break, relax, and enjoy the day. We know that the presence of families helps in the healing process for children. These moms give so much love and support to their children during such a difficult time, and in honor of Mother’s Day, this is a nice way to show our appreciation for all the sacrifices they make for their families each and every day.”

If your family is looking to support a charity that benefits families, RMHC is a great one to consider.

PHOTOCREDIT:WIREIMAGE.COM

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Have you ever wanted to own something of Matt Damons? Well here is your chance!

The celeb daddy is giving up his black, messenger-style baby bag while Julianne Moore, a mother of two, donated a beechwood highchair that she calls her daughter Liv’s special “sit at the table with the grown-ups” chair. Mariska Hargitay from “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” gave an Adidas track suit outfit worn by her son, August.

Not to be left out, Elisabeth Hasselbeck donated a car seat and said in a statement,

“It is important to pass certain things on from one generation to the next. I still have a children’s bracelet that my mother gave to me, which I will pass on to my daughter one day. There is something priceless about having certain things around you which tell a story.”

All of the proceeds from the Ebay auctions will benefit will such charities as March of Dimes, Save the Children, Zero to Three and Baby Buggy.

Other celebrities participating include “Shark” actress Jeri Ryan and recent mother Elisabeth Rohm.

The online auction begins April 29 and ends May 9 at http://www.ebay.com/celebritymoms

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Last year when our baby arrived early our family was introduced to the Ronald McDonald House in Hamilton, Ontario.

When the hospital’s social worker had first offered me the opportunity to stay at the house I immediately said “No”. I envisioned a hostel(hotel for travelers) style environment where I was sharing facilities with people I had never met before. Once we realized our baby would be staying at the hospital for a long time I decided to check into the house for a few nights just to see. All I have to say is WOW!! My husband and I have stayed at many beautiful hotels during our travels, but none as nice as this house. The rooms were not only spacious, but newly decorated and very clean. The first floor had a huge kitchen with facilities for 3 families to cook at a time plus a patio with a barbecue. There was a huge family room, laundry room, dining room (10 tables) and a games room in the basement. All for $10.00 per day.

Each house is run with the same goal of providing a compassionate and safe “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children who are receiving treatment at local children’s hospitals. They cater to over 600 families per year. Twenty percent of their funding comes from McDonald’s Corporation and the rest is made up with donations from various corporations and individuals. A stay at the house would usually be 75.00 per night but it is subsidized so that families can stay near their children. The cost varies with each location from $10.00 – $15.00 per night. Volunteers are the heart of the house with many assisting guests, cleaning the common rooms and preparing dinner for the families.

During our three months at the RMH we met many families who had babies in the NICU like us. It was comforting to have other people in the same situation to talk to after a hectic day was over. Some of the people we met will be our friend for years to come. Our son was able to have us close to him every day. We were able to spend 12 hours a day with him without having to worry about driving 1 hour there and back. RMH gave us a pager so that the hospital could get a hold of us day or night if necessary. I don’t know what we would have done if this house wasn’t there for us to stay in.

In Canada, there are 12 Ronald McDonald Houses and each one is owned and operated by a local community non-profit with a volunteer board of directors. While each house has the “home away from home” atmosphere amenities may vary from house to house.

You never know when you are going to need to stay at a Ronald McDonald House. Take some time to learn about the charity. Donations keep the house going and each location has a list of amenities you can donate as well. Small things such as gift certificates to local stores, DVDs for the families to watch, or movie passes for a night away are always welcome.

Ronald McDonald Canada
Ronald McDonald U.S.