[StBernard] A7E Network, Cox Communications, & St. Bernard Unified School

[Westley Annis]

A&E Television Networks Partners with Cox Communications New Orleans to Help
Create Hundreds of SoaringQuilts(R) and SoaringPillows(R) for Hospitalized
Children in New Orleans with the Help of St. Bernard Unified School
Monday May 1, 8:27 pm ET 



NEW ORLEANS, May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- A&E Television Networks and Cox
Communications New Orleans join with Soaringwords, a 501(c)(3) non-profit
public charity whose mission is to help millions of ill children and their
families heal, to lead a delegation of volunteers from around the country to
donate hundreds of SoaringQuiltsR and SoaringPillowsR to children in New
Orleans who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina. St. Bernard Unified
School welcomed the project to put their special decorative touches on each
quilt and pillow as a way of reaching out to their hospitalized peers.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060501/NYM261 )

Naturally, down quilts and fluffy pillows conjure up images of relaxation
and comfortable sleep. But many victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
haven't had that luxury -- the area still continues to heal from their
trauma. St Bernard Unified School hosted A&E, Cox Communications and
Soaringwords for a morning of hope and healing and decorated over 350 quilts
and pillows.

Cox and A&E created a special bond with Principal Wayne Warner and St.
Bernard Unified School. Bringing this project to the New Orleans community
and the devastated Katrina region has been a commitment A&E planned for
several months.

Dr. Libby O'Connell, SVP Corporate Outreach and Educational Initiatives for
A&E Television Networks spoke about the project's significance. "A&E's
Soaringwords New Orleans Project is a great way to get young people involved
in giving back to their communities. We are so happy Cox Communications New
Orleans is able to join with us in this effort to pay it forward!"

"Since the devastation of the storms we see children accepting the current
challenges in their lives so bravely and confronting them with unbelievable
determination," stated Brad Grundmeyer, Manager of Public Affairs, Cox
Communications New Orleans. "The Soaringwords program is another way to help
comfort and inspire children during the rebuilding process."

"It was incredibly healing for children in New Orleans to be able to
decorate the quilts and pillows with inspirational messages and artwork.
This is such a tangible and personal way for children to inspire
hospitalized children and children affected by Katrina to 'never give up!'"
said Soaringwords' CEO & Founder, Lisa Honig Buksbaum.

The morning progressed with A&E Television Networks, Cox Communications New
Orleans and Soaringwords delegates traveling to New Orleans's Children's
Hospital to give their personalized gifts to hundred of patients. Each year
it is estimated that 18% of all children in the U.S. suffer from chronic
illness (Source: American Academy of Pediatrics). This means that each year
22 million children and their families and friends, potentially 66 million
people in all, face the challenges of catastrophic pediatric illness.

"In addition to their medical conditions, the children and families that are
being treated at Children's Hospital are suffering from trauma from the
enormity of Katrina. The SoaringQuiltsR and pillows are so colorful and
filled with warm wishes and heart-warming artwork. These gifts remind our
pediatric patients that people are thinking about them and want them to
heal," said Brian Landry, vice-president/marketing, Children's Hospital, New
Orleans.

The St. Bernard Unified School Soaringwords project and the Children's
Hospital of New Orleans donation are part of A&E's Lives That Make A
Difference Initiative, an outreach campaign that focuses on people -- from
all walks of life and all age groups -- who have a positive impact on our
world. It helps others learn how they can make their local neighborhood or
their global community a better place. Through public service or private
enterprise, people can make a difference.

Now reaching more than 90 million homes, A&E Network brings viewers a
diverse mix of high quality entertainment; ranging from critically acclaimed
original movies to the very best dramatic series, the most successful
justice shows on cable to the Emmy Award-winning BiographyR series. Not to
mention, the A&E Network's powerhouse Real-Life Series franchise. In 2005,
A&E Network holds the distinct record for the most Primetime Emmy
nominations (10) for a basic cable network. The A&E Network website is
located at http://www.aetv.com and the BiographyR website is located at
http://www.Biography.com. The A&E Club is located at
http://www.aetv.com/club. For more information and photography please visit
us on the web at http://www.aetvpress.com.

Cox Communications, a Fortune 500 company, is a multi-service broadband
communications and entertainment company with more than 6.7 million total
customers. Cox is the nation's third-largest cable television provider and
offers an array of advanced digital video, high-speed Internet and telephony
services over its own nationwide IP network. Cox Communications is a full-
service, facilities-based provider of communications solutions for
commercial customers, providing high-speed Internet, voice and long-distance
services, as well as data and video transport services for small to
large-sized businesses via Cox Business Services. Cox Media offers national
and local cable advertising in traditional spot and new media formats, along
with promotional opportunities and production services. More information
about the services of Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox
Enterprises, is available at http://www.cox.com, http://www.coxbusiness.com,
and http://www.coxmedia.com.

Cox Communications New Orleans, a system of Cox Communications Inc., has
served the parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard and St. Charles for
the past 25 years.




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Source: A&E Television Networks