(C) 2000 Lucia de Nobrega
Lucy Lawless and her battle to stop Child Abuse Information Page
Over the past two years Lucy Lawless has leant her name to combat the problem of child abuse in New Zealand. Lucy has joined many others who are also concerned about this major problem to raise funds for New Zealand's first multi-agency CARES (Child and Adolescent Recovery, Empowerment and Safety) center near Starship Hospital.
What can YOU do to help? We (as a fandom) can do a great deal to raise awareness of this issue and to help raise money. The Xenaverse has raised a great deal of money for charities through the collective efforts of Sword and Staff and other fan run activities at Xenafests and fan get-togethers.
AXIP supports this very worthwhile endeavour and the Sword & Staff appeal to all fans of the show to get behind Lucy in this - not because Lucy is a star but because if thise appeal helps just one child then it's worth every effort we make. Money alone won't solve the problem but it will go a long way in reeducationg people that abusing a child is morally abhorant and should never ever be allowed in a civilised society.
A single individual we may not be able to achieve much but as a collective group - we can move mountains. This fandom has demonstrated in the past it's ability to rally round (ie getting The Way back in syndication).
Below you will find all the latest information and news relating to this worthy cause. If you wish to use the logo up the top for your site - please take it and use it!
For those wishing to send donations to the "Safe and Sound" appeal at the Starship Foundation, you can send checks directly to:
Starship Foundation
Safe and Sound Appeal
P.O. Box 91939
Auckland
New Zealandor you can donate through Sword and Staff
Click here to view how to do this through Sword & StaffARTICLES/NEWS
The following is from Mist at Sword and Staff
I heard from the Starship Foundation. The Safe and Sound donation drive is winding down, and they are still about NZ$15,000 (less than US$7500) from reaching their goal. I have a number of checks that are being sent off, and just wanted to remind everyone that if they would like to donate to the Safe and Sound Appeal that they should do so soon. You can send checks or money orders payable to Starship Foundation directly to the Foundation or through Sword and Staff. You can also donate by credit card (contact me for info on how to do that). Either way, it will help them to reach their final goal of $100,000 to launch the program to help abused children.
Best,
Mist
Sword and Staff
P.O. Box 224
Floral Park, NY 11002
- Added three photos by Angie Shuter of Lucy from the recent Sky City Starlight Symphony in Auckland - January 26, 2002
- Mist at Sword and Staff has posted 5 new pictures of Lucy from the Sky City Starlight Symphony this past weekend. The event kicked off the Starship Foundation's Safe and Sound Appeal. You can find them at http://sword-and-staff.com
For those in New Zealand - the following is from the NZ Herald - 25 January 2001
The weekend's best deal must be the Sky City Starlight Symphony in the Auckland Domain. The entertainment begins at 6 pm tomorrow with cheerleaders, a charity endorsement by actor Lucy Lawless and the Volvo Ocean Race presentation. The concert, featuring Dame Malvina Major, the Sky City Massed Choir and the Auckland Philharmonia and more, begins at 7.30 pm and is hosted by John Hawkesby. Admission is free. Volunteers will collect donations towards the Safe & Sound Appeal to benefit abused children and young people. No parking is available in the Domain. The concert will finish about 10.30
- Added link to NZ Herald - 25 January 2002 - Stars emerge for feast of music magic at Starlight Symphony
Safe and Sound Appeal
Lucy Lawless needs you. As Starship Foundation board trustee and ambassador, she will start a fundraising drive at the Sky City Starlight Symphony this Saturday to raise money for the Safe and Sound Appeal. The appeal will help abused children and young people. Around 400 volunteers are needed to collect donations during the concert. Anyone able to give a few hours during the concert should ring (09) 309-2007.
From NZ Herald - 23 January 2002Anyone interested in donating to the Safe and Sound appeal can do so through Sword and Staff. I thought it might be a great idea to donate the money from Xena fans in the name of Lucy and Rob's new baby. If you'd like to donate, please make CHECKS PAYABLE to STARSHIP FOUNDATION. (Please DO NOT send Postal Money Orders as they are not good outside the US and its possessions). I will earmark the donations for the Safe and Sound appeal, and let them know that the donations are being made to celebrate the upcoming birth of Lucy's baby. If you prefer, you can make your payment by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express). Just send me your full name and address, credit card type, credit card number, expiry date, and the amount of your donation. You can mail your donations to:
Sword and Staff
P.O. Box 224
Floral Park, NY 11002
If you have any questions, please contact me at MistNY@aol.com
Lucy is once again lending her support to raise $100,000 for the Starship Children's Hospital. Today's NZ Herald has an interview with Lucy about the appeal.
[click here to read article in NZ Herald]Starship Log - Annual Appeal - July 2001
The following is from Mist at Sword and Staff
I heard from Starship this morning. They will be sending the Star Bears, enough at least to cover the number I originally requested, so all of you who asked to receive one (or more) will get them. I am setting the donation amount for each bear at $10 US. That's a bit more than they sell for in New Zealand, but it's a fair amount and that will
certainly cover the shipping costs from NZ and leave a donation for Starship.
As always, the donation goes directly to STARSHIP FOUNDATION, not Sword and
Staff. Anyone who hasn't already ordered a bear and would like one, please contact
me directly at MistNY@aol.com I will gladly add you to the list of those receiving bears. Any questions or comments, please let me know.
Mist
http://sword-and-staff.com
Added link to Lucy's bio page on the Starship Foundation page
The t-shirt Lucy signed for Safe and Sound Appeal Charity that Creation auctioned off on Ebay went for $1477. Lucy and the Starship Hospital continue to be amazed by the generosity of all the Xena fans who have been donating money through various fund-raising efforts for their battle against child abuse.
[Source: The Official Xena Fan Club]*
Lucy and Julius at the Starship Hospital
Goodbye Warrior Princess, hello corporate queen 03 DECEMBER 2000 By DONNA CHISHOLM Say farewell to the Warrior Princess . . . and hello corporate queen. When Lucy Lawless puts her screen persona Xena to rest in May, she will be settling into a new role, using her brain more than her face. Lawless is joining the board of trustees of the Starship Foundation - becoming in effect a company director. In the unpaid role she will help to raise $3 million a year for the nearly 80,000 children from around the country treated annually at the Starship Hospital in Auckland.
[click here to view entire article from the Sunday Star Times - 3 December 2000]Added The Starship Log - The Newsletter of the Starship Foundation & Friends of Starship - November 2000 - Lucy Wages War on Child Abuse Stars Join Timely Appeal
Fundraising fears hit child abuse ad - NZ Herald - 15 November 2000
A television advertisement raising awareness of child abuse - starring Lucy Lawless, Liz Gunn and Michael Jones - may not screen. But the anti-child abuse campaign they are promoting is alive and well, says Lawless, the
star of Xena: Warrior Princess.
[Read full article on NZ Herald Web Site]
Lucy has sent a message to her fans via the Official Xena Fan Club.
http://www.primenet.com/~outback/fanclubs/safesound/safesound.htmlAccording to the a recent NZ Herald article about the ongoing Safe and Sound Appeal, the article stated:
Yesterday, the foundation received a "flood of cheques" totalling more than $12,000 for the centre from Xena: Warrior Princess fans. The star of the TV series, Aucklander Lucy Lawless, is the public face of the campaign. United States-based fans - and many of her New Zealand-based film crew - have already given around $5000. [Click here to read full article]Added transcript from Lucy tv ad about the Safe and Sound Appeal
As a follow up to yesterday's post about Xena being a role model to head up the anti child abuse call..Lucy said something that just confirmed why I'm a fan of this show and why I'm a fan of Lucy Lawless. The following article is from from the AFP Newswire - 11 September 2000 -
``If they (the critics) had bothered to watch, Xena is about the triumph of love, friendship and forgiveness in a dangerous world, and mostly about empowerment and that's what these kids need.'' - AFP Newswire 11 September 2000
[click here to read the entire transcript]Added Sunday Star Times transcript and scans - Warrior Crusade - Lucy's involvement with Cares
Added transcript from NZ Herald about Xenites contributing to CARES - Lucy's appeal to stop Child Abuse
The NZ Herald has another article about Lucy's involvement with CARES
"Child abuse-help flows in as nation says 'no more'
[Click here to read]Lucy on the Holmes Show talking about her involvement in CARES
http://tvone.nzoom.com/programmes/holmes/story.html?story_2000_archive.incWarrior princess goes into battle for children - Dominion - 30 August 2000
In today's issue (September 4) of The NZ Herald it has an article on how Lucy and Liz Gunn are forming an action group to fight child abuse
[Click here to read the article]Warrior Princess Xena weeps for kids -NZ Herald - 31 August 2000