For more information contact:
Sandy McPherson
Phone:  407/481-2774  Cell:  407/832-1061
sandy@gocmn.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ORLANDO, FL, September 16, 2005  -- "Home Is Where the Art Is,” an auction of artwork created by children treated at Shands Children’s Hospital at the University of Florida and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women raised nearly $17,000 for Greater Orlando Children's Miracle Network on Thursday evening, September 15.

Mark McEwen of WKMG Local 6 was master of ceremonies for the event, hosted by Robb & Stucky Interiors in Altamonte Springs. The auction items were created by patients who have been treated at Shands Children’s Hospital and Arnold Palmer Hospital working with some well-known guest artists from the Central Florida community.  The guest artists included McEwen, Lauren Rowe, Bob Frier and Henry Maldonado from WKMG, former N’ Sync star Joey Fatone, former NBA star and ESPN broadcaster Dee Brown, sports broadcaster Charles Davis, custom home builder Carmen Dominguez, the PTA Divas, wakeboard champion Sean O’Brien, Orlando Sentinel columnist Scott Maxwell, Joe Mazza of Schakolad Chocolate Factory, WLOQ host Patricia James and Dave Collins & Leslye Gale of the Magic 107.7 morning show.

Proceeds from the auction benefit the pediatric programs at Shands Children's Hospital and Arnold Palmer Hospital through Greater Orlando Children's Miracle Network. This money is used to fund patient care equipment, programs and research that benefit more than 250,000 children treated at these hospitals each year. Children's Miracle Network (CMN) began in 1983 to actively support better health care for kids.  Today more than 170 hospitals throughout the United States and Canada, specializing in treating children, make up CMN.  The organization is unique in that 100 percent of the money raised locally stays in the local community to benefit the participating CMN hospitals.

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