[StBernard] CNN Hero of the Year: 'If you join us, we'll be unstoppable'

[Westley Annis]

CNN Hero of the Year: 'If you join us, we'll be unstoppable'
Story Highlights
2008 CNN Hero of the Year is Liz McCartney of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana

Grammy winners Alicia Keys and John Legend perform at CNN Heroes event

The show honors the top 10 CNN Heroes as selected by a distinguished panel

It airs globally at 9 p.m. ET November 27 (0200 GMT November 28)

HOLLYWOOD, California (CNN) -- Liz McCartney, dedicated to helping survivors
of Hurricane Katrina rebuild their homes, has been named the 2008 CNN Hero
of the Year.

McCartney, of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, received the honor at Saturday
night's taping of "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" at the Kodak Theatre in
Hollywood. The telecast airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Thanksgiving on the global
networks of CNN.

McCartney, who will receive $100,000 to continue her work just outside New
Orleans, was selected from among the top 10 CNN Heroes after six weeks of
online voting at CNN.com. More than 1 million votes were cast.

"To the country and the world, I ask you to please join us," McCartney said.
"Together we can continue to rebuild families' homes and lives. ... If you
join us, we'll be unstoppable."

Hosted by CNN's Anderson Cooper, "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" features
moving musical performances by Grammy Award winners Alicia Keys and John
Legend.

Legend, backed by the world-renowned Agape Choir, brought the audience of
more than 2,000 to their feet with his powerful call to personal action, "If
You're Out There," from his just-released album, "Evolver."

Keys sang "Superwoman," her tribute to women around the world, from her hit
album "As I Am."

Both performances echoed the spirit of the CNN Heroes campaign, which
salutes everyday people accomplishing extraordinary things in their
communities and beyond.

"In this time of economic turmoil, it is such a relief to know that there
are people like these heroes, people who care more for others than they do
for themselves," Cooper said.

The top 10 CNN Heroes, chosen by a blue-ribbon panel from an initial pool of
more than 3,700 viewer nominations, were each honored with a documentary
tribute and introduced by a celebrity presenter. Each of the top 10 Heroes
receives $25,000. Watch a close-up look at the CNN Hero Award »

Actors Cameron Diaz, Salma Hayek, John Krasinski, Forest Whitaker, Meg Ryan,
Terrence Howard, Lucy Liu, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez
were among the stars joining in CNN's tribute to the top 10. See photos of
the presenters »

In addition, actor Hugh Jackman presented People magazine's 2008 Heroes
Among Us award to six recipients honored by the magazine.

Award-winning producer-director Joel Gallen returned to executive produce
this year's program. Among his credits, Gallen produced telethon events
supporting victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane
Katrina, winning an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for "America: A Tribute
to Heroes."

The Kodak Theatre is best known as the first permanent home of the Academy
Awards.

In addition to its airing on CNN, the second annual "CNN Heroes: An All-Star
Tribute" will air simultaneously on CNN International and CNN en Español at
9 p.m. ET Thursday (0200 GMT Friday).

In alphabetical order, the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2008 are:

Tad Agoglia, Houston, Texas: Agoglia's First Response Team provides
immediate help to areas hit by natural disasters. In a little over a year,
he and his crew have helped thousands of victims at more than 15 sites
across the United States, free of charge.


Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Moved by the lack of
children's books and literacy in his native Ethiopia, Gebregeorgis
established Ethiopia Reads, bringing free public libraries and literacy
programs to thousands of Ethiopian children.

Carolyn LeCroy, Norfolk, Virginia: After serving time in prison, LeCroy
started the Messages Project to help children stay connected with their
incarcerated parents. She and volunteer camera crews have taped roughly
3,000 messages from inmates to their children.

Anne Mahlum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: On her daily morning jogs, Mahlum
used to run past homeless men. Today, she's helping to transform lives by
running with them, and others as part of her Back On My Feet program.

Liz McCartney, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana: McCartney moved to New Orleans
to dedicate herself to helping Hurricane Katrina survivors move back into
their homes. Her nonprofit, St. Bernard Project, has rebuilt the homes of
more than 120 families for free.

Phymean Noun, Toronto, Ontario: Growing up in Cambodia, Noun struggled to
complete high school. Today, she offers hundreds of Cambodian children who
work in Phnom Penh's trash dump a way out through free schooling and job
training.

David Puckett, Savannah, Georgia: Puckett started PIPO Missions to bring
ongoing prosthetic and orthotic care to those in need. Since November 2000,
he has helped more than 420 people in southeastern Mexico, free of charge.

Maria Ruiz, El Paso, Texas: Several times a week, Ruiz crosses the border
into Juarez, Mexico, bringing food, clothing and toys to hundreds of
impoverished children and their families.

Marie Da Silva, Los Angeles, California: Having lost 14 family members to
AIDS, the nanny funds a school in her native Malawi, where half a million
children have been orphaned by the disease.

Viola Vaughn, Kaolack, Senegal: The Detroit, Michigan, native moved to
Senegal to retire. Instead, a group of failing schoolchildren asked her to
help them pass their classes. Today, her 10,000 Girls program is helping
hundreds of girls succeed in school and run their own businesses. 
 

  
 
  
 

  
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/11/22/heroes.show