ALI MACGRAW CHAIRS WREATH CAMPAIGN!

Actress Ali MacGraw Stars in 2009 Della Robbia Wreath Campaign

One of the charitable causes listed on my Blogroll is that of The Boys Republic. This school is located in Chino Hills, California where actor Steve McQueen spent an important part of his youth as a student. Now comes some great news.

Actress and model Ali MacGraw has agreed to serve as Honorary National Chairman of the 2009 Della Robbia wreath campaign. In this role, she will appear in literature promoting Boys Republic's sale of the holiday decorations.

Ali became familiar to millions of people like myself through her acting career that began when she was offered the leading role of Brenda Patamkin in the screen version of Philip Roth's short novel, "Goodbye Columbus". The movie was a success, opening to tremendous popular and critical acclaim.

Her next film, "Love Story," made her a star. The film earned her international fame, an Academy Award nomination, a Golden Globe Award, and many additional honors worldwide. Other film credits include "The Getaway" co-starring Steve McQueen, "Convoy" with Kris Kristofferson, and "Players" co-starring Dean Paul Martin.

Ali currently lives in New Mexico. She works on behalf of numerous social, animal and environmental causes.

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The Della Robbia wreath program was introduced originally by Boys Republic founder Margaret B. Fowler to serve as a work experience vehicle for students of the non-profit school. The wreaths were patterned after a centuries-old ceramic design created by the Della Robbia family of Florence, Italy. In 1923, the first year of the Boys Republic Della Robbia campaign, only a few dozen wreaths were produced and sold on the streets of Pasadena. Today, Boys Republic’s students produce and ship more than 50,000 wreaths, each year, to destinations throughout the United States and around the world. What makes these wreaths so special?

Della Robbia wreaths are truly "a gift within a gift". When you buy a Della Robbia from Boys Republic, or give one to a friend or associate, you also give troubled teens an opportunity to learn important work-related attitudes and habits. In fact, one motto of the school is "Nothing without labor", and these values are, indeed, refreshing in today's world.

Della Robbia wreaths are produced through a work experience program that teaches disadvantaged students the value of honest labor while stimulating new levels of responsibility and self-control. From gathering, sorting and preparing seed pods to fastening them to wreath boughs and, finally, to shipping the finished Della Robbia, students experience the stress of adult responsibility while earning part of their own way. Here is where you can order a wreath for your holiday season:

http://www.boysrepublic.org/wreaths.html

or call:
1-800-833-7769

Two Nice Stories

Allow me to close with two great stories about the wreaths and The Boys Republic. Throughout actor Steve McQueen's career, he returned often to visit the students at the campus of The Boys Republic, and these were not merely photo ops. Steve would spend an entire day listening, sharing and exchanging life experiences with the boys who were students, just as he was years earlier. My good friend Marshall Terrill (my Special Guest on my Blog feature "The Interview") who authored the seminal book, "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel" (and the upcoming "Steve McQueen: A Tribute to The King of Cool") shared another story during our visit this past March that has always stuck with me. Here's an excerpt from our March 25th & 26th visit:

Marshall Terrill: "Somebody just told me a story just the other day. She was a bartender at The Old Place in Malibu (California) and it was owned by Tom Runyon, this guy who was a co-star in "The Getaway"--and it's a funky old place in Agoura Hills off of Mulholland (Drive) where you go in and the only thing you can order is steak or clams. And they only served beer and wine. It's kind of a biker-actor-local character joint. And she was the bartender there and she told me that Steve--at that period of his life when he lived in Malibu--he just wanted to be Steve; he didn't want to be Steve McQueen. And often times he would come behind the bar and serve drinks. He had the beard and the long hair, so a lot of the time people wouldn't recognize him. He was just enjoying himself! He poured patrons drinks and he could just be a normal guy. She lived almost next door to The Old Place. She said every Christmas, she'd hear a little tap on the door in the morning and one day she opened it one morning and he said, "Oh, I wasn't supposed to wake you". She said, "What are you doing?" And he said, "Oh I'm just adding a little Holiday Cheer to your life!" This Christmas wreath that he was putting on the door that he purchased was from The Boys Republic; that's how they raised their money. They made these beautiful Christmas wreaths and Steve bought hundreds of these Christmas wreaths and he would go tack them up on people's doors just to show that he loved them and cared about them. At the same time, he was financially supporting the Boys Republic".

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Note from Michael: These wreaths are very special. I am planning on purchasing one myself. As a final footnote, I know that I speak for many when I say that Ali MacGraw has always struck me as a fine actress on stage or screen, a caring philanthropist and a Classy lady. May this Blog Post inspire and warm your own Holiday Season!
Michael