Ford Motor Company Supports CATCH Event October 20

What: The 15th annual CATCH Night of Champions provides outstanding support to Children's Hospital of Michigan and Henry Ford Hospital. The event, presented by Ford Motor Company and celebrating community leaders for their charity work, begins with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m., and a live auction and honoree ceremony at 8 p.m.

Among the CATCH Hall of Fame honorees are Dennis W. Archer, founder of the Dennis W. Archer Foundation; Tony Filippis Sr., philanthropist and founder of the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame, and Elaine Schweitzer, community volunteer and philanthropist.

Recognition will also be given to Susan L. Youngs, M.D., who will receive the sixth annual Dr. Clarence S. Livingood Humanitarian Award.

  When:   Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2004, at 6 p.m.

  Where:  The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn
          300 Town Center Drive in Dearborn, MI
          (Hubbard Drive & Southfield Freeway)

  Tickets:  Tickets are $175 per person.  The event is open to the public.

More: Hall of Fame inductees are community leaders selected for their charity work, while the Dr. Clarence S. Livingood Humanitarian Award is given to a health care professional in Michigan who's had a profound impact on children. Previous Hall of Fame honorees include Sparky Anderson, Carmen Harlan, Bo Schembechler, Steve Yzerman, Joe Dumars and Sergei Fedorov.

Some of this year's auction items include two business-class airline tickets to Europe, a 2004 Detroit Lions home-and-away package for four, two tickets to Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, FL, and a private four-course dinner prepared by a Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn chef in your home.

Last month, CATCH expanded its mission by announcing support of the CATCH Pediatric Mobile Health Programs where physicians, nurses and social workers from Children's Hospital and Henry Ford Health System go into the poorest neighborhoods in Detroit to provide basic health services to pediatric patients who experience barriers to accessing care. Using a fleet of donated "CATCH vans," medical personnel travel to selected sites in the community to provide immunizations, lead and asthma screenings and other needed health services. CATCH pledged $1 million over five years to the program.

All proceeds from Night of Champions will benefit Sparky Anderson's CATCH charity for children. CATCH dollars are used to fund items and services, including the CATCH Pediatric Mobile Health Programs, that help Children's and Henry Ford hospitals improve the quality of life for sick, injured and needy pediatric patients.

For more information about CATCH, please visit http://www.catchcharity.org/ .

If you or one of your reporters would like to attend this event, please CONTACT: Jeannee Kirkaldy of Campbell & Co., +1-313-203-7232.