(CelebrityAccess MediaWire — Celine Dion dedicated a special Mother's Day performance of her Las Vegas show "A New Day…," created by DRAGONE at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, to raise money for the victims of the Asian tsunami. Proceeds from the May 8 show, totaling more than $1,029,714 were donated to UNICEF's Tsunami Recovery Fund to help with relief and reconstruction efforts in the tsunami-affected region.
The evening's event was hosted by Master of Ceremonies and Honorary Committee Member Larry King. At the end of the performance, Dion and King presented UNICEF President USA, Charles J. Lyons and UNICEF President, Canada, David Agnew, with a donation check.
The show exceeded its expectations to raise over 1 million dollars from show proceeds, sponsorship packages, a special commemorative program book, collection boxes in The Colosseum and a silent auction preceding the show that evening to help the families who have suffered as a result of the tragedy.
The special event was chaired by Dion with her husband Rene Angelil, and co-chaired by Caesars Palace President Mark Juliano with his wife Jacqueline Juliano, and AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke with his wife Bernadette Leiweke.
Honorary Chairpersons President George H.W. Bush and President William Jefferson Clinton gave a pre-recorded address and with some VIPs and celebrities from the entertainment world and government endorsed this fundraising effort and lent their names in support. The Honorary Committee was comprised of:
President George H.W. Bush,
President William Jefferson Clinton,
Stefanie Graf & Andre Agassi,
Cher,
Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta-Jones,
Linda Thompson & David Foster,
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman,
Nevada Governor Kenny C. Guinn,,
George Hamilton,
Sir Elton John,
Wynonna Judd,
Larry & Shawn King,
Bette Midler,
Kathleen & Wayne Newton,
Shaquille O'Neal,
Barbra Streisand and
Dame Elizabeth Taylor. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
