by Amy and Nancy Harrington, Pop Culture Passionistas
A Golden Globe-nominated actress helps clean up schools, a game show host says “come on down” to some four legged friends in need and an ’80s icon helps boost local spirits.
Julianne Moore Loves Our Schools
Julianne Moore, the Golden Globe nominated actress from “The Kids Are Alright” and mother of two children, has joined forces with Bounty Paper Towels to launch “We Love Our School” week. The program was rolled out at PS63 the William McKinley School in Manhattan this week and Moore was on hand to kick-off the campaign to clean up 1,000 school and 2,500 classrooms nationwide.
Bounty has teamed up with PTO Today, a non-profit committed to meeting the needs of school children with the help of parents and teachers. Bounty has pledged to provide clean classrooms for kids across the country.
The organization has set up a Facebook Page for interested schools to learn more abut the program. Schools can enter to win the “We Love Our School” sweepstakes and a chance for a $50,000 school make-over.
Julianne Moore told PopEater, “It’s a way of bringing attention to the fact that there’s an awful lot falling on teacher’s plates these days and that we can all collectively help them out.”
She continued, “We love our children, we care for them and we have a responsibility to them and to their education. This is a way for all of us to get involved.”
25 Lions “Come On Down”
Game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker was instrumental in rescuing 25 Bolivian lions this week in a program called “Operation Lion Ark.” Bob teamed up with London’s Animal Defenders International and gave the former circus animals an all expense paid trip from Bolivia to Colorado via airlift after performing animals were banned from the country.
Last year Bolivia passed a law prohibiting all performances involving animals after exposing widespread abuse and unethical treatment. This new legislation left 13 male and 12 female lions homeless. Barker arranged for the animals to be transported to a newly constructed 80-acre home at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado.
ADI President Jan Creamer remarked, “We are absolutely delighted to have rescued these magnificent lions. They have suffered so much, but can at last look forward to a bright future in their specially constructed enclosure in Colorado and at last they will be free. I really can’t believe that this monumental rescue is finally over – I am absolutely elated!”
When the first lion came off the cargo plane Barker bellowed, “Lion number one, come on down.”
He later commented, “They will be the happiest little babies you ever met.”
Robocop Boosts Moral in Detroit
Detroit might not be the first city that springs to mind when one thinks of inspiring places. But this week a grassroots campaign with a pop culture twist proved that with a bit of determination, and a little social networking, anything is possible. No, we’re not talking about Eminem’s latest Grammy win. This is all about the Robocop statue.
It all started on February 7 when Tweeter @MT posted the following message for Mayor Dave Bing:
“Philadelphia has a statue of Rocky & Robocop would kick Rocky’s butt. He’s a GREAT ambassador for Detroit.”
When the Mayor replied that no such tribute was in the works, a viral movement was born. That’s when Detroit local John Leonard built the Facebook page “Build a Statue of Robocop in Detroit,” with a group of friends set a financial goal — $50,000. Proving that even the craziest idea has merit if people feel connected to it, the Kickstarter goal was met in less than a week, far in advance of their March 26 deadline.
Some fear that due to the movie “Robocop’s” not-so-stellar portrayal of the city, the statue would be inappropriate. Others feel that the attention that it’s brought to the city already is good for moral. We think that it’s always inspiring to see random people coming together for a common cause – no matter how silly that cause may be. Now if only they can get the Mayor to agree.