Seven Cities Will Welcome Oscar(R) to Charity Parties

Beverly Hills, CA - Charity events in seven cities across the country have won an unusual 
contest.  They will be loaned Oscar statuettes to display at their Academy-sanctioned Oscar 
Night America parties, which will be held the night of the 74th Academy Awards.  Presentation 
on March 24, 2002.

The lucky seven were among a group of 11 charities that submitted proposals describing what they 
would do to welcome Oscar if he were to visit their city.  A panel whose decisions were based 
on the originality and feasibility of the proposals chose the winning seven. The winning 
events are located in:

Charlotte, North Carolina
Honolulu, Hawaii
Las Vegas, Nevada
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Orlando, Florida
Tucson, Arizona
Washington, D. C.

Each winning charity's proposal detailed an arrival event welcoming Oscar to its city several 
weeks before Oscar Night.  Oscar will be arriving in style by land, sea and air.  In Honolulu, 
the Oscar statuette will arrive via an authentic Hawaiian outrigger canoe powered by Hawaiian 
paddlers.  In Orlando, the statuette will arrive via helicopter accompanied by a secret agent, 
and Oscar will arrive in Tucson on a stagecoach at a historic western movie set.

The Academy's Oscar Night America program, which has raised over $7 million for local charities 
since 1994, provides thousands of
movie fans across America the chance to experience the thrill and excitement of Oscar Night 
in their own hometowns.  Most parties roll out a red carpet, hire limousines and paparazzi 
and attract the attendance of local celebrities.

The Oscar statuettes designated for the seven Oscar Night America parties will be accompanied 
in each city by guards from Inter-Con, the international security firm, which is providing 
security for the 74th Academy Awards Presentation.  At the parties, Inter-Con will guard 
each statuette throughout the evening. 

When the parties are over, the Oscars will return home to the Academy in Beverly Hills, where 
they will be tucked away until 2003 when they may be presented to winners at the 75th 
Academy Awards Presentation.

The Academy provides official Oscar Night America parties with the same printed Academy 
Awards show programs as those handed out at the ceremonies in Los Angeles.  The Academy 
also provides copies of the 74th Academy Awards commemorative poster and permits the 
image of the Academy's copyrighted Oscar statuette on invitations and other material.  
Events are completely produced by local non-profit organizations, with active participation 
of local ABC-TV affiliate stations.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2001 will be presented on Sunday, March 
24, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland(R) and televised live by the ABC 
Television Network beginning at 5:30 p.m. (PST).  A half-hour arrival segment will precede 
the presentation ceremony at 5 p.m.

-                       ####
-
-
-
-