Celebs Step Up To Aid Foster Keiki
Friday - August 12, 2009
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Actor Michael Copon, who lived in Hawaii a couple of years ago while filming the TV series Beyond the Break, returns to Oahu this month for the Tag the World Celebrity red carpet luau at 6 p.m Aug. 23 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. It’s a benefit for It Takes An Ohana, a nonprofit organization assisting Hawaii’s foster youths.
This walk-around culinary event will feature tapas-style food-tasting stations, a dessert bar, and martini and wine bars. The highlight of the night will be the red carpet arrivals of more than 20 Hollywood celebrities, including actress Eva La Rue (CSI), actor/comedian Anthony Anderson (Law & Order), actor Dean Cain (Superman), actress Heather Tom (The Bold & The Beautiful), singer Drew Lachey (Dancing with the Stars), actor Mehcad Brooks (True Blood), actor Matt Schulze (The Fast & The Furious), actress/athlete Hannah Cornett and come-dian/actor Pauly Shore.
Copon, who volunteers with various charities, including Operation Smile, Children Uniting Nations and the Shaken Baby Alliance, says his decision to participate in the event is because of his strong belief in helping our keiki.
“My baby brother Steven, whom we adopted, wasn’t supposed to live or speak or walk or grow past the age of 3,” says Copon, 26. “The doctors said that he would pass away at 3 and we were wasting our time.
But in reality my mom and I had a different idea and a different vision. We had something called hope and faith, and we knew with the right love and attention this child could turn out to be extremely different.
“Today he’s 11 and he’s just amazing. He’s the most unique kid I’ve ever been around. He still has some deficiencies (he’s still blind in his left eye, his left hand is tucked in and his left leg drags a little bit) but we’re working with him every day. He just learned how to tie his own shoes two years ago, and something like that is a huge deal for us because here’s a kid who was never supposed to walk, and now he’s tying his own shoes. He also bowls with no guard rails, and he bowls about a 120 to 150. He bowls better than me!
“So I’m very appreciative of him being a part of my life, and part of Tag The World is tagging the world of kids. And for every kid that was told they’ll never make it or that they’ll never amount to anything, I’m there to say they will.”
Copon says he’s now focusing on his music career with hopes of releasing his first single later this year. He most recently appeared in CSI: Miami and will be in the movie Night of the Demons to be released Oct. 9. And in 2005, he was named one of People magazine’s 50 Hottest Bachelors.
He says the secret to his success and looking the way he does is all on who he is inside.
“I’m a firm believer in that beauty comes from within,” says Copon. “There are a lot of great-looking men and women in this business, but I think it’s the people that have that light that shines out and kind of pulls you in with their vulnerability is what makes a person really, really beautiful on the outside as well.”
Tag the World was founded by Robert Parks-Valletta, known for his roles on Young & the Restless, True Blood and Ugly Betty.
Tickets to the red carpet luau cost $100 (no-host bar), reserved seating costs $150 (no-host bar), VIP reserved seating is $200 (includes hosted cocktails and butler service), and a celebrity VIP sponsor table of 10 is $3,000 (includes a Hollywood celebrity sitting at your table).
For table inquiries, e-mail CelebrityLuau@HonoluluS ocialDiary.com.
For more information on Tag the World or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.tagtheworldtriathlon.c om/luau_tickets.
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