 |
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2010 Contact: William Redmond at wredmond@greatblacksinwax.org or Sharon Bunch at 410-247-7274 or creativefundraising@msn.com. Welcome Back! The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum Invited Back In Pepsi Refresh Competition. Museum Sets Eyes on $250,000 Prize Baltimore, MD. In August 2010, The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum was chosen as one of 1,100 finalists in the September 2010 Pepsi Refresh Contest. The Museum learned today that its project, "More Than a Museum: Sustaining a Community, Transforming Lives Preserving a Dream" has been recertified for the December 2010 round. The Pepsi Refresh competition began in January of 2010 and challenges individuals and groups across the country to identify projects that improve communities through special Pepsi sponsored grants. The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum designed a project to improve museum-community space in the Oliver Community of East Baltimore. If awarded, the $250,000 grant will be used to revitalize and create a shared green oasis located in the rear of the museum in the 1600 block of E. North Avenue. The award of a Pepsi Grant will advance the vision developed with and approved by the community, of the Museum's building and expansion plan. Trees, landscaped grounds and fenced areas will transform an area that is now overgrown with tall grass, injured trees and unoccupied properties. "The Pepsi Refresh Project was developed with the belief that great ideas can come from anyone, anywhere, anytime," said Jill Beraud, CMO and president of joint ventures, PepsiCo Beverages Americas. "The first group of winners proves it's true. Each of them is a testament to how someone from any walk of life can produce powerful, creative and fun ideas that can make a difference." The Pepsi Refresh Program invites the public to work together with them to improve the quality of life for all Americans. Individuals, groups, non-profits and businesses submit ideas to Pepsi. Pepsi staff selects the most outstanding ideas in one of several categories. Pepsi announces the finalists for the competition at the beginning of each month and the public vote for the project of their choice via the internet. Each competition cycle is a month long. The idea that gets the most votes in a particular category wins that month's award. The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum has placed voting guidelines on its website at www.greatblacksinwax.org. They are encouraging all who wish to make a real difference to vote for their project and to vote often. Each person can vote daily on the Pepsi web site: www.refresheverything.com/greatblacksinwax2. There are three ways to vote:
1. Text Message: Simply put the number 104748 into the body of a text, and send that text to 73774. (Standard text-messaging rates apply.) 2. Pepsi Refresh Website: Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/greatblacksinwax2, click the link to vote, and then choose the sign in directly with Pepsi option. Once again, click the link to vote and the vote button will disappear and you'll have logged your vote! 3. Facebook: Go to http://www.refresheverything.com/greatblacksinwax2, click the link to vote, and then choose the log in using Facebook option. Once you're successfully logged in, click the vote button on our page again and the vote link will disappear and you'll have logged your vote! Dr. Joanne Martin, President and CEO of The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum said, "We are thrilled to be chosen again as one of the finalists, for December's Pepsi Refresh competition. For us this is much more than a contest. It is another way our museum can be a catalyst for change in our fragile community. It is a way of bringing a clean, safe, place where children can learn and see historic role models in their world, making it a part of their reality. The grant will enable us to link cultural empowerment with economic growth. It will strengthen the economy and help stabilize the neighborhood. Now our work begins. We are asking every person who believes in our mission to cast their votes every day on our behalf. We are saying, VOTE EVERYDAY IN DECEMBER, vote early, vote often and ask your friends and family members to join you. Pepsi will help us if we cast votes to help ourselves." |