NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) and The New York Comedy Festival (NYCF) unite to present the third annual Stand Up for Heroes: A Benefit for the Bob Woodruff Foundation at Town Hall in New York City on November 4th. Brian Williams will host Stand Up for Heroes, which will feature star performances by Louis C.K., Stephen Colbert, Lisa Lampanelli, John Ondrasik, Bruce Springsteen and other surprise guests. These and other A-list entertainers have agreed to Stand Up for Heroes and ReMIND our nation that "Support our troops" is no longer a slogan. It's an action. The evening promises unforgettable performances, laughter, and sincere gratitude, with proceeds going to the BWF.
For the third consecutive year, all of our nation's living presidents have officially expressed their support to the Stand Up for Heroes event. President Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama, President George W. Bush, President George H. W. Bush, President Jimmy Carter and President William J. Clinton serve as the Presidential Committee for this year's event. Major television network executives join the Presidents as event co-chairs including Steve Capus and Sophia Faskianos (NBC), Ken and Kristin Jautz (CNN), Jon and Jennifer Klein (CNN), Sean and Tracy McManus (CBS), Philip Miller and Anne Sweeney (ABC), Richard and Lisa Plepler (HBO), David and Sherrie Westin (ABC), and Jeff and Caryn Zucker (NBC).
"Thank you for joining with us to Stand Up for Heroes – tonight, and for the future. Because of you, we're helping injured service members return to a home front ready to support them. There's no greater way to honor them, and we're proud to do it together," said Bob and Lee Woodruff, co-founders of the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
In January 2006, while reporting for ABC News, Bob Woodruff was severely injured in Iraq when his convoy was hit by a roadside bomb. Both Woodruff and his cameraman, Doug Vogt, sustained multiple life-threatening wounds. The Woodruff family established BWF in February 2007 to raise awareness and money to assist members of the U.S. military injured while serving. Woodruff and Vogt have both recovered from their injuries.
"Through the Woodruff Foundation, Bob and Lee have made tremendous strides ensuring our heroes return home to the assistance they need and the support they deserve," says Caroline Hirsch co-founder of the Festival and owner of Carolines on Broadway. "The New York Comedy Festival is thrilled to present Stand Up for Heroes for the third consecutive year, raising awareness and funds for the U.S. service members and their families who need it most."
Stand Up for Heroes is a night of comedy and music to benefit BWF. More than fifty military families will be honored at the event and represent the 1.9 million who have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11. "BWF has raised over $6 million, used to increase awareness and invest in programs throughout the country. We are empowering local communities to take action to assist service members and their families as they reintegrate home," said Rene Bardorf, Executive Director of BWF. Past performers have included Conan O'Brien, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, Lewis Black, Regis Philbin and Whoopi Goldberg.
BWF is honoring veterans, service members and their families with a week-long celebration beginning on November 4 with Stand Up for Heroes. Throughout the week BWF is promoting the re-launch of Tweet to ReMIND, an online social media campaign creating a dialog empowering people to remember veterans in their communities, talk about the issues, and micro-blog about heroes they know – prompting the social networking community to take action and raise money in support of injured service members, veterans and their families. The week will culminate on November 11, Veterans Day, with a Wall Street Charity Day that GFI Group Inc. (GFI) is hosting to benefit BWF. The day will include service members and their families on the GFI trading floor concluding with GFI and BWF ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Commissions from all GFI trades will be donated to BWF. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
