Liz Tetu or Sarah Bamford

MCP (Manolis & Co. Productions, LLC)

(203) 340-2130

ltetu@km-mcp.com / sbamford@km-mcp.com

About the Avon Foundation and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

The Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families, and Avon philanthropic programs worldwide have raised and awarded more than $500 million. Now past the half century milestone, the Avon Foundation brings this mission to life through two key areas: breast cancer and domestic violence. The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade launched in 1992, and Avon breast cancer programs in some 50 countries support advancing access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Funding is awarded to beneficiaries ranging from leading cancer centers to community-based breast health programs for awareness and education; screening and diagnosis; access to treatment; support services; and scientific research. Fundraising is through a variety of “pink ribbon” products, events, races and walks. The largest is the U.S. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series, which began in 2003. For more information on the Avon Foundation visit http://www.avonfoundation.org/.

This evening San Francisco, CA native Nancy McNally is the featured artist.

Originally a theater set designer and costumer, Nancy McNally's career has been a vast and full one. A life long artist and lover of the arts, Nancy is a mixed media fine arts painter, fabric painter, origami & glass artist, activist... and so much more.

McNally first started creating origami cranes in 1978 for a wedding she catered. She has since created cranes for many private collections as well as large events; Nancy recently created 1,000 cranes for a breast cancer awareness foundation benefit.

Crane Lore (from Nancy's website):
"The crane motif is an ancient symbol in marriages in Japan, symbolizing fidelity, prosperity and longevity. In Japan the crane is known as 'the bird of happiness'. The Chinese believe that cranes are symbols of wisdom. There is an association of the crane with celebration of peace and prayers for those lost in war. The crane is also associated with poets. Greek and Roman myths portray the dance of cranes as a love of joy and a celebration of life. The crane is the bird of Apollo, the Sun God. Apollo disguised himself as a crane when on visits to the mortal world."

From their website:
"In 1996, a milestone was reached when Congress and the President of the United States approved the "National AIDS Memorial Grove Act", which officially designates the historic DeLaveaga Dell in Golden Gate Park, as the nation's first AIDS memorial. True to its origins, the Grove is a dedicated public landscape where anyone who has been touched by AIDS can find comfort, grieve openly without being stigmatized, and experience feelings of hope that nature can inspire."