Celebrity Artists and Musicians Take the American Cancer Society's Campaign for More Birthdays to the Next Level

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Cancer Society, the official sponsor of birthdays, today announced details of a unique new campaign that marks the next phase of the Society's movement for More Birthdays. Over the past several months, dozens of the biggest names in music and art have come together, inspired by the efforts of the American Cancer Society, its supporters and everyone affected by cancer, to generously donate their talent and artwork to help amplify the voice of the More Birthdays movement. To date, artists such as Keith Urban, Justin Bieber, Jack Johnson, Colbie Caillat, Eric Carle, Maroon 5, Masha D'Yans and more have joined the More Birthdays movement, and others continue to join every day.

Musicians joining the campaign each perform their own special rendition of "Happy Birthday," one of the most well-known songs in the world, while each visual artist creates or donates artwork inspired by specific facts about how the American Cancer Society has contributed to progress against cancer. The musician and artist contributions have been turned into traditional advertising elements such as television, magazine and online ads, as well as birthday merchandise housed in a new art and music gallery on morebirthdays.com. There the public can help celebrate More Birthdays by sending custom e-cards or buying gift wrap, posters, limited-edition prints and more - all created from the exclusive art and music donated to the campaign. Each donation made or item purchased will help the American Cancer Society raise money and save more lives to create a world with less cancer and More Birthdays.

"I love the spirit of the American Cancer Society's More Birthdays campaign because it celebrates life," said three-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban. "The marking of time, especially when spent with family and friends on that special day, helps to remind us of the little things that are most important to all of our lives."

"I think it's really important to support More Birthdays because the Society is helping out so much to save lives," said multiple platinum singing sensation Justin Bieber. "Hopefully, me singing Happy Birthday to people through this effort will make them smile."

"Thanks in part to the progress we've made, today we are celebrating 350 birthdays each and every day that would have been otherwise lost to cancer," said John R. Seffrin, PhD, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society. "Now we are working relentlessly toward a world where we can celebrate tens of thousands More Birthdays every day, and we need every tool at our disposal. We hope the support of these wonderful artists and musicians will capture the public's attention and inspire them to help us make more progress and move us closer to a world where cancer never steals another year of anyone's life."

The campaign is the creative work of the Society's partner advertising and public relations agencies, led by The Martin Agency with strategic support from Brodeur Partners and Vanguard Entertainment Media Marketing Group.

The American Cancer Society invites everyone to visit morebirthdays.com and join these entertainers, artists and the thousands of supporters who have already joined the movement to create a world with less cancer and More Birthdays.

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Kedron Elementary Receives Target Grant for Children’s Theater

Kedron Elementary School Principal Karen Bullock and fifth grade teacher Carla Zonneveld pose with Peachtree City Target representatives Cynthia Burnett and Lynn Jacobs.

Students at Kedron Elementary in Peachtree City are going to star in their own full-scale musical, complete with professional sets and costumes, thanks to the generosity of Target.

Fifth grade teacher Carla Zonneveld was instrumental in helping Kedron receive a $5,000 Target grant to bring the Missoula Children’s Theater to the school in 2009. The grant will fund the weeklong residency of two professional actors/directors who arrive in town with all the costumes, props and sets necessary for a full-scale musical production. The only thing missing is the cast, which is where the students become involved.

The week begins with a casting call on where 50-60 students are selected to fill the roles of a popular children’s story that has been adapted to a musical. Other students will serve as backstage directors, helping with the curtains and lighting and making sure that the actors enter the stage on cue. By Saturday, after a week of intensive rehearsals involving memorizing lines, learning songs and practicing choreography, the students put on two public performances. Tickets are sold to the community for both performances with the school keeping all of the proceeds, which will be used to bring the theatrical group back to the school the following year.

“Bringing a program to a school that will make a lasting impact on some of its students is not difficult, but introducing one that will change the lives of an entire school community is nearly impossible,” say Zonneveld.

This grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. Since opening its doors, Target has given 5 percent of its income to organizations that support education, the arts, social services and volunteerism. Today, that translates into more than $3 million every week.

Zonneveld says the Missoula Children’s Theater experience will give students the confidence and skills they need to be effective students while instilling important character traits that they will use for the rest of their lives.

“I have witnessed first-hand the effect this type of training can have on a large group of children. As my daughter attended rehearsals after school, I began to see the whole group changing. By performance day, I was in awe of the talent being displayed with complete confidence. Even the youngest children had developed the discipline and demeanor of seasoned performers,” says Zonneveld.

Schools can apply for Target grants between March 1 and May 31 of each year. Target funds arts programs that bring the arts to schools or make it affordable for youth and families to participate in cultural experiences such as touring programs, field trips to the theater or symphony or artist in residencies and workshops in schools.

“I hope that with the generous support of this grant we will be able to start a tradition of showcasing the arts in our community and changing the lives of many generations of Kedron Knights to come,” says Zonneveld.

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