Aleena Hope Miller was a miracle baby that grew up to be an incredible little girl as a direct result of the efforts made by The Hope and Light Foundation. Aleena was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Type 1, which is the number one genetic cause of death in children under the age of 2.
Aaron and Stephanie Miller, the founders of The Hope and Light Foundation, have seen remarkable gains made, but there is still so much more that needs to be done.
Angela and Aleena being "kooky" with hair bows/extensions!
Angela says, "Spinal Muscular Atrophy is an illness that I would love to see eliminated within our lifetimes and it is so close to being a reality! This illness has touched my family, friends and the lives of many more I plan to meet and it is devastating, whether it be Type 1, 2, or 3."
Please check out the foundation's website at http://www.hopeandlight.org to learn more and feel good about donating to the podcast, knowing that 10% of the donations are going towards making huge strides in seeing SMA become a thing of the past!"
Aleena's battle with SMA ended October 6, 2011. This month, through November 7, 2011, 100% of podcast donations will go directly to The Hope and Light foundation in honor of an amazing little girl that touched the lives of so many.
Click here to make your donation to continue the efforts to end this illness: http://bit.ly/nPNEJc
Thank you for your support!
Les Dames d’Escoffier International
Angela has donated her services to Atlanta’s premier culinary event at the new World of Coca-Cola that will take place on June 4, 2008. As part of the event, there is a silent auction where attendees will have the opportunity to bid on decorated plates designed by local and national celebrities as well as other items. Angela has donated her services and you will have the opportunity to bid on an Iron Chef Party hosted by her!
All proceeds will be contributed to Les Dames d’Escoffier International (LDEI), a worldwide society of women that promotes the achievement of women in culinary professions through educational and charitable activities. Members include chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, retailers, event planners, cookbook authors, food journalists and historians, winemakers and wine industry professionals, food publicists, culinary educators and hospitality executives.
Nearly 100 people attended the Flambé Event at The National Science Center's Fort Discovery in Angela's hometown of Augusta, Georgia, on November 10, 2007, in honor of Veterans Day Weekend!
Children, adults and military personnel assisted with the demonstration. Angela stated, "We all had a great time and it was an honor to be able to pay homage to everyone that is and has been willing to defend our country." The Golden Harvest Food Bank of Augusta received a lot of canned goods as a result of the event, so it was win-win for everyone!
Most everyone from the event requested that the recipe be posted on the website, so please click on the "my blog " link to obtain your copy of this delicious, impressive yet SIMPLE recipe!
Gilda's Club
On Friday, Sept. 7, 2007 , Angela attended a benefit in support of bringing a Gilda's Club to Atlanta where Mr. Gene Wilder was in attendance. Gilda's Club was Gilda Radner's vision that would offer invaluable resources to families touched by cancer. Angela has lost loved ones and seen others fight a brave fight and beat this illness, so she is a strong supporter of this charity.
Angela stated, "When I first arrived, Mr. Wilder was busy and I was unable to speak with him. However, he soon made sure that he had plenty of time to mingle with his guests, ranging from age 14 to 70. It was amazing. I found him a very short time later and asked him, "May I have the honor of having my picture made with you?" We both laughed (I think he may have noticed I was following him around!!) and, as you can see below, he said yes. He is so kind and upon meeting him, you see that he so clearly appreciates his fans."
Gene Wilder with Angela McKeller at local Benefit for Gilda's Club
"It isn't often that a child gets the opportunity to meet a legendary actor that they 'grew up' with. For me, I feel doubly blessed because not only is he a legend, but he also starred as the leading role in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which talked about making the world taste good and that's what I try to do!", Angela laughs. "He is such a genuine person and very passionate about seeing as many Gilda's Clubs come to be as possible. I have a great deal of admiration for Mr. Wilder." If you get the opportunity, please visit www.gildasclubatlanta.org for more information.
Angela is a big believer in giving back to her community. See her blog for more information about some of her favorite charities! Angela says, "Sharing the knowledge I have about how to make cooking easy, affordable and fun is a great honor. People frequently send emails telling me about how much of a difference my show has made to them and it does my heart good. Making a difference to others is just a big part of who I am, so working with charitable organizations is an honor as well."
Shepherd Center Foundation
In May, Angela donated her services to The Shepherd Center Foundation's silent auction that was hosted at their 2007 "Tee-Off Party". Angela said, "I have known folks near and dear to my heart that received an incredible amount of support from Shepherd and I have personally seen the difference Shepherd makes in the lives of others. I greatly look forward to helping again with upcoming events."
For more information about The Shepherd Center Foundation, please visit www.shepherd.org/giving/giving.asp .
Hands On Atlanta
Additionally, she donated her services to a silent auction that was held at "A Taste of Volunteering" on June 1, 2007, which was a benefit for Hands On Atlanta. For more information about this organization that benefits the communities of Atlanta in so many ways, please visit www.handsonatlanta.org .
