First Star's Sixth Annual ‘Come Be a Kid Again’ Celebration for Children's Rights, May 30, 2009 at Historic Wilshire Ebell

Los Angeles, CA, May 22, 2009 --(PR.com)-- First Star, a leading national advocacy group dedicated to improving life for child victims of abuse and neglect, will hold its sixth annual Celebration for Children’s Rights event on May 30, 2009 at the historic Wilshire Ebell. Families from the Los Angeles business, entertainment, medical and legal communities, along with many celebrities, will join First Star in honoring this year’s award recipients—Jeff Bleich, Special Counsel to the President of the United States; Melissa Helmbrecht, Chair and CEO, SplashLife, Inc.; and Howard T. Owens, Managing Director of Reveille, LLC and Marnie Owens, Co-Founder of Baby2Baby along with their two daughters — for their humanitarian efforts on behalf of children.

The evening’s theme, “Come Be a Kid Again,” brings us back to the place of joy and wonderment that is childhood. The unique, casual event includes live entertainment, carnival games for people of all ages, catering by Los Angeles’ finest as well as luxury prizes from top sponsors, including American Airlines, plus a special performance by Tony nominated Broadway sensation Susan Egan.

Established in 1999, First Star improves the lives of America’s abused and neglected children by strengthening their rights, illuminating systemic failures, and igniting reform to correct them. Through the pursuit of research, public engagement, policy advocacy, and litigation, First Star’s nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborative action among organizations, advocates, practitioners and policy makers working to benefit children.

Christine Devine, anchor of the No. 1-ranked Fox 11 Ten O’clock News, returns to host the event. Devine is an eight-time Emmy winner, and has profiled foster children seeking adoptive homes on her “Wednesday’s Child” segment, sponsored by The Freddie Mac Foundation.

Susan Egan has traversed all four corners of the entertainment industry, making powerful impressions in theatre, film, television and music. She headlined on Broadway as Thoroughly Modern Millie, won critical acclaim as Broadway’s (longest-running) “Sally Bowles” in Cabaret, starred in Triumph of Love and State Fair, and received Tony Award and Drama Desk nominations for “Best Actress” as the original “Belle” in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. She’s been seen on film in 13 Going on 30, Gotta Kick It Up, countless independents and voiced the animated characters of “Meg” in Disney’s Hercules, and “Lin” in the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, among others. She spent two seasons on WB’s Nikki and guest-starred on HOUSE, NUMB3RS, NYPD Blue, Arli$$, Drew Carey, Party of Five, Great Performances, and more. Egan sings with symphonies worldwide, has over 40 recording credits including five solo CDs, and was named Best Vocalist of the Year by TalkinBroadway.com. Entertainment Weekly calls her website, susanegan.net, the "slickest site around."

“With our whole society in stress, it’s important not to forget the 800,000 foster children and the 3.5 million abused and neglected children in our midst,” states Peter Samuelson, President and Co-Founder of First Star. “These children are our future. Giving them legal representation and a platform for their voices to be heard is our mission and it has never been more vital than right now”.

First Star is about to publish a second edition of its groundbreaking 2007 Child’s Right to Counsel Campaign and Report Card. These reports serve as objective, performance-evaluating tools in which all 50 states and the District of Columbia receive A through F letter grades based on statutes, court rules and practice. They raise public awareness that not all child victims of abuse and neglect who receive court action are entitled to the basic civil legal right of attorney representation in foster care and dependency hearings. They have ignited legislative reform in poorly performing states.

About First Star
First Star is a national 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1999 to strengthen the rights and improve the lives of America's abused and neglected children through education, public policy, legislative reform, and litigation. Our nonpartisan, multidisciplinary approach fosters collaborative action among organizations, advocates, practitioners and policy-makers working to benefit children.

We work towards a day when children’s voices are heard and their basic civil rights recognized if they must pass through the child protective system. The professionals who these children interact with are well-trained, well-coordinated, and fairly compensated, and the court system that adjudicates their welfare and determines their future is open and accountable to the public for its actions and decisions.

For event tickets, please visit www.firststar.org/news/comebeakid.

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