SPOKANE, WASH – Ronny Turiaf and charismatic actor/comedian Cedric “The Entertainer” come together for a stellar evening to raise funds for the Ronny Turiaf Heart to Heart Foundation. The night will feature a cocktail reception, dinner, auction and program. The celebration will take place Friday, June 24 at 7:00p at The Lincoln Center in Spokane, Wash.

Considered one of the funniest comics in America, Cedric “The Entertainer” will have guests laughing as he roasts Ronny Turiaf. Guests will also enjoy a gourmet dinner and exquisite cocktails. Cedric’s universal appeal, versatility, and tremendous career successes spanning television, live performances, and film have solidified his standing as one of the premiere entertainers in the world. Audiences will be familiar with Cedric’s many crowd-pleasing performances in such hit films as Barbershop, Be Cool with John Travolta, Madagascar, Intolerable Cruelty with George Clooney, Johnson Family Vacation (the 2004 box office hit in which Cedric was both starred in and produced), and The Original Kings Of Comedy. He will next be seen co-starring opposite Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks in the comedy feature “Larry Crowne” ; followed-up with a starring role in the political drama “Grass Roots” directed by Steven Gyllenhaal as well as lending his vocal talents once again to the upcoming “Madagascar 3″. Additionally, this summer Cedric will host a new game show on NBC entitled “It’s Worth What?”

Tickets, priced at $100, are now on sale and available at www.ronnyturiaf21.org.

“I am extremely passionate about matters of the heart and promoting awareness of heart issues which makes this event for my Heart to Heart Foundation very special to me. I know that it will be a special evening for everyone involved in supporting this event and the continuous efforts of my foundation. I want to thank all those people who have supported me through my life and basketball career especially the community of Spokane for all of their support since my college days. Together we can all make a big difference,” said Turiaf.

A Night with Ronny Turiaf fundraiser, benefits the Ronny Turiaf Heart to Heart Foundation, which raises money to provide health services such as heart surgeries, EKG’s, ECHO cardiac screenings and defibrillators to children and schools in need.

Prior to the dinner fundraiser, the foundation will be presenting a grant to HoopFest, the biggest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament on the planet, for their new court unveiling. Following the dedication ceremony, Turiaf will host a Special Olympics Clinic on the new court. For more information on the court unveiling and the clinic, please visit www.ronnyturiaf21.org.

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About The Heart to Heart Foundation

The Ronny Turiaf Heart to Heart Foundation was established in August 2009 to provide medical care for children who do not have health insurance and cannot afford the care that they so desperately need. The goal of the Heart to Heart Foundation is to raise money to provide health services including EKG’s, heart surgeries and defibrillators to children and schools in need. Ronny Turiaf understands what it is like to need medical care for your heart and not have money. When his own situation was discovered Ronny was just out of college and could not pay for the surgery. He was however fortunate enough that some people came to his aid, and now he is in a position where he can do the same thing for children and adults who need heart care and cannot afford it. For more information, visit www.ronnyturiaf21.org.

About The Giving Back Fund

The Giving Back Fund (GBF) is a national public charity that creates and professionally manages charitable foundations and other philanthropic programs for athletes, entertainers, business entrepreneurs, and corporations. Since our founding in 1997, GBF has created an important niche in expanding and diversifying philanthropy, particularly among young people, women and people of color. Our unique structure allows donors to direct more of their charitable dollars to causes they care about and less to administrative overhead. To date, The Giving Back Fund has provided philanthropic consulting, management and programming to more than 200 athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, and other high net worth individuals. GBF has overseen the distribution of more than $30,000,000 in charitable grants within the United States and other countries, and has developed dozens of unique scholarship, mentoring, medical, arts, and other philanthropic programs. For additional information, please visit www.givingback.org.

Contacts:

Jessica Duffaut, 310-649-5222
The Giving Back Fund