Monday, December 24, 2007
Pitt, Jolie help kids
affected by hurricanes
NEW ORLEANS — Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt used their star power Saturday to help The Children’s Health Fund focus attention on the more than 46,000 children still displaced 21⁄2 years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed their homes. Jolie said her work as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees prompted her to get involved with the CHF’s effort. “This is the largest displacement of children in my own country so I want to learn as much as possible,” she said at a news conference. A report issued earlier this month by the CHF found that 46,000 to 64,000 children affected by the hurricanes were still at risk for a host of medical, mental health and educational problems complicated by a lack of support services.
Today’s birthdays
Songwriter-bandleader Dave Bartholomew is 87. Author Mary Higgins Clark is 80. Rock singer-musician Lemmy (Motorhead) is 62. Actor Grand L. Bush is 52. Actress Stephanie Hodge is 51. The president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, is 50. Rock musician Ian Burden (The Human League) is 50. Designer Kate Spade is 45. Rock singer Mary Ramsey (10,000 Maniacs) is 44. Actor Mark Valley is 43. Actor Diedrich Bader is 41. Singer Ricky Martin is 36. “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest is 33.