Record Donations to Jewelers for Children, Honor Light and Bridge

Jewelers for Children, the industry’s charity, held the 8th annual Facets of Hope event on Sunday June 4, at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. Mark Light, President and CEO of Sterling, Inc. and Edward Bridge Co-CEO of Ben Bridge Jeweler were honored at the event, which also heard from three youngsters who have been helped by the industry's support.

Laurence Grunstein, president of Citizen Watch Co. of America and chairman of the board of JFC, announced that $5 million had been raised this year and more than 2,400 seats had been sold for the dinner, both record amounts for the charity.

Light, who has worked at Sterling, based in Akron, OH since high school, is involved in a number of local organizations, as well as serving on a number of industry organization boards and committees, including JFC. Light thanked the industry for their involvement in the charity with a special thanks to his father, Nate Light for his support and encouragement through the years.

Bridge works at the company founded by his grandfather based in Seattle, WA. He also serves a number of industry organization boards, including the board of directors of JFC. Bridge thanked his family and encouraged the attendees to look around the room and see how the entire industry has come together to support children in need.

Grunstein announced that JFC would be donating $4.5 million to charities that benefit children who are the victims of catastrophic illness, or life-threatening abuse and neglect, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CASA), the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation to fund a Jewelers for Children Scientist Award, the Jason Program to fund the Jewelers for Children Gems of Care program, and the Jeffrey W. Comment Memorial Endowment Fund to be used by JFC to support additional charities focused on children.

The 2006 amount brings the cumulative support the jewelry industry has given through JFC to more than $23 million.

It was also announced that Jewelers for Children and De Beers are co-funding the Integrated Childcare Program in the Galashewe area of So. Africa. The program will fund the development of a support network for child-headed households in the area. There are currently more than one million parentless households in the area and it is estimated that more than three million children will be orphans by 2010. Government institutions can currently handle only 100,000 children. The program will allow families to stay together and retain the meager assets they have.

The 2007 Facets of Hope event will be held on Sunday, June 3, 2007, once again at the Bellagio in Las Vegas as part of the JCK Las Vegas Show.

Source material reprinted with permission from IDEX Magazine (http://www.idexonline.com/).