Ben Affleck, Sheryl Crow, Harrison Ford, Salma Hayek, Matthew McConaughey, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron will all appear in a video tribute to the 30 “All-Stars Among Us” winners selected by People magazine for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game July 13th on Fox.
Each celebrity will speak about the accomplishments of one of the “All-Stars Among Us” winners, highlighting the importance of giving back to the community.
“We are proud that a group of Hollywood stars will join Major League Baseball to recognize the People All-Stars Among Us in what will certainly be a moving tribute to their very important work within their communities,” said Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig.
“For 36 years People has celebrated the philanthropic efforts of Hollywood’s brightest talent alongside the extraordinary actions of everyday heroes. We’re thrilled that these stars are helping to shine a spotlight on the commendable work of these 30 individuals,” said People Managing Editor Larry Hackett.
Ben Affleck will pay tribute to Ruthe Rosen (the selection representing the Los Angeles Angels) who created and co-founded The Let It Be Foundation (TheLetItBeFoundation.com) in 2006 to honor her daughter, who died of an inoperable brain tumor. The Foundation currently helps Chino Valley children and their families battling life threatening illnesses to maintain a sense of normalcy in their lives.
Sheryl Crow will pay tribute to Terry Grahl (Cleveland Indians), who established Enchanted Makeovers (enchantedmakeovers.org), an internationally recognized non-profit that refurbishes shelters for women and children, to make them into “places of peace and possibilities.”
Harrison Ford will pay tribute to Marguerite Baber (New York Mets) who, motivated by her own experience as the parent of an autistic child, created The Simpson-Baber Foundation (Simpson-Baber.org), which has funded over $1,500,000 in direct educational, social, and recreational opportunities to the autism community since 1995. She also created The Busy Bee Program in 2002, an early-intervention program recognized as being effective in helping autistic children to maximize their developmental and educational potential.
Salma Hayek will pay tribute to Betty Chinn (San Francisco Giants), who was homeless in China for four years, but for the last 20 years, she has risen at 4 am each morning to prepare meals for the hungry and needy in Eureka, California.
Matthew McConaughey will pay tribute to Eric Greitens (St. Louis Cardinals), who returned from Iraq wounded and co-founded The Mission Continues (MissionContinues.org) to provide wounded veterans with opportunities for ongoing public service through placements with local community organizations.
Julia Roberts will pay tribute to Marci Schankweiler (Philadelphia Phillies) who after losing her husband to testicular cancer founded an organization to send young adult cancer patients and their families on all-expense paid respite vacations. Over the past 10 years, Crossing the Finish Line (CrossingTheFinishLine.org) has benefited more than 800 cancer patients and 3,000 caregivers.
Charlize Theron will pay tribute to Kenny Fullman (Chicago White Sox), whose father was shot and killed when Kenny was 12 years old. Now, Kenny is a full-time police officer and head baseball coach at Harlan Academy, as well as a head coach of the amateur baseball team, City Elite, a program designed to mentor young people and help them prepare for college.
1.7 million votes were cast at a People website by fans across the nation to select the 30 “All-Stars Among Us” winners out of the pool of 90 finalists who are serving as leaders within their communities. This is the second year for the “All-Stars Among Us” national campaign.
