Eliza Dushku

Save ANGEL Campaign Announces Support for Eliza Dushku Family Charity "Camp Hale"

Taking to heart the theme of "helping the helpless" promoted by WB series ANGEL, the Save ANGEL campaign at SaveAngel.org has announced their support of Eliza Dushku Family’s fundraising efforts for Camp Hale, a summer camp for disadvantaged boys in Boston.

(PRWEB) April 29, 2004 - Taking to heart the theme of "helping the helpless" promoted by WB series ANGEL, the Save ANGEL campaign has announced their support of Eliza Dushku Family’s fundraising efforts for Camp Hale, a summer camp for disadvantaged boys in Boston.

The camp, founded in 1900, has held a long tradition in the Dushku family. Philip Dushku, Eliza’s father, first attended in the 1950s, and went on to become a counselor there; his sons were campers three decades later. Sons Aaron and Ben likewise became Camp Hale counselors. Active in the camp’s alumni association since 1969, Philip now serves as chairperson of its board of directors, while Aaron is the membership chair.

Recently, Eliza started a new project with her father to benefit the camp: the Eliza Dushku Foundation. Through the sale of props and fan memorabilia, the Dushkus hope to generate increased contributions to continue the tradition of Camp Hale for generations to come.

"The gap between Camp Hale’s operating expenses and the camper’s ability to pay has expanded steadily in recent years. Federal and state funding that used to be available has dried up or been drastically reduced," says Philip Dushku, "CHAA intends to expend every effort to bridge the gap and thereby ensure that Camp Hale not just survive, but thrive in its second 100 years of operation."

Eliza Dushku won over legions of fans portraying the troubled slayer "Faith" on the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and ANGEL. She currently leads the FOX show Tru Calling.

On February 23, Eliza appeared "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" just after the cancellation of ANGEL was announced. The first thing she spoke about was the effort to save the show and her encouragement of it: "They’re trying to save ANGEL, from what I hear. And I’m all for it. I think the show’s great, and there are so many fans... I don’t really understand, why they want to... I mean, Buffy just ended, and I think people really were mourning the loss of Buffy. And now, to take away ANGEL, too, is a little odd."

Coordinator of the Save ANGEL campaign, Simon Fleischmann, hopes that contributions to the camp will be another sign of fan’s positive spirit which has marked all the efforts to save the show. "Already fans around the world have been donating their time, energy and even blood to demonstrate their devotion to the series," says Fleischmann. "ANGEL has inspired people to give of themselves, to show that they are not merely interested in saving a show, but in making a difference."

Other fan efforts included sending flowers and beanie babies which were donated to children’s hospitals. One campaign, Angel’s Food Drive, has helped the Los Angeles Foodbank by generating over $14,000 in donations.

"Eliza’s support for her fans moved us to show support for her chosen charity," says Fleischmann. "Contributing to Camp Hale is a wonderful opportunity to benefit a worthwhile cause, and to make a statement about how much ANGEL’s purpose to ’help the helpless’ resonates with people."

Contributions of at least $20 entitles donors to the full year’s membership rights of a Camp Hale alumni, including a 25% discount on Eliza Dushku props and memorabilia sold by the CHAA on behalf of the Eliza Dushku Foundation.

An extensive article about the Camp and interview with the Dushkus is available at http://www.SaveANGEL.org/.

ABOUT CAMP HALE AND THE CAMP HALE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.

Camp Hale, in the mountains of New Hampshire on beautiful Squam Lake, has provided residential camping experiences for lower-income boys from the South End and Lower Roxbury since 1900. It is a project of the United South End Settlements.

The CHAA is the 1987 merger of the original, unincorporated Camp Hale Alumni Association, started in 1937, and the Camp Hale Council begun 1952. It is comprised of several generations of people who recognize the impact that Camp Hale has had not only in their lives, but also in the lives of those who experience Camp Hale. CHAA is about maintaining a bridge between the past, the present and the future; it is about giving back so others can experience the same memories that drive the alumni members to return year after year.

For More Information, Contact: Philip Dushku, Chairperson, CHAA Board of Directors

camphalealumni@yahoo.com’

http://www.camphalealumni.org

Simon Fleischmann, Coordinator, Save ANGEL Campaign

coordinator@saveangel.org

http://www.saveangel.org