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30 November 2000  

The dignity and grandeur of ancient Greece will radiate throughout the Americana Ballroom on November 17 as the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation hosts its 15th annual Ambassador David M. Walters International Pediatric Hall of Fame Gala amidst the idyllic surroundings of the Loews Hotel Miami Beach.

Hall of Fame Gala Committee Chair Susan Morton promises that the extraordinary evening will be truly “golden” as the Foundation celebrates the hospital’s 50 years of being first for children in elegant and dramatic fashion – Fifty Years & Beyond.

“Guests will stand among graceful columns of the Parthenon, which rise to the sky at the edge of a universe of stars,” Morton says. “The golden age of Greek civilization reminds us of the wondrous discoveries that brought Miami Children’s to this point at the beginning of a new millennium, while the vast universe beyond challenges us to search for the new resources needed to support the hospital in the future.”

The 2000 Hall of Fame honorees include ESPN football analyst and standout former University of Miami and Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, a tireless crusader for children in need who established both the Kelly For Kids and Hunter’s Hope Foundation; Michael Christensen, founder and creative director of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit, which brings messages of joy and laughter to hospitalized kids worldwide; and George Batchelor, aviation pioneer and philanthropist who has been a longtime friend of Miami Children’s Hospital and children’s causes across South Florida.

Established in 1986, the Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have worked tirelessly for the health and happiness of children around the world. The notable roster of Hall of Fame inductees includes Dr. Jonas Salk, First Lady Barbara Bush, Audrey Hepburn, Harry Belafonte, Surgeons General C. Everett Koop and Antonia Novello, Danny Kaye, Bianca Jagger, John Schneider, Gina Lollobrigida, Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo), Shari Lewis, Bill Nye the Science Guy, John Walsh, and Marti and Wayne Huizenga, among others.

Radio Lollipop creator Hedley Finn, MBE will be honored with the “Gift of Joy” Humanitarian Award – a tribute to Ambassador Walters’ granddaughter, Shannon Joy, who died of leukemia at the age of six. A unique charity, Radio Lollipop first began in 1979 at Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children in England, bringing recreational activities to hospitalized youngsters. It has now spread to more than 15 hospitals around the globe including Miami Children’s – the first hospital in the United States to host a Radio Lollipop.

By popular demand, comedian and actor Robert Klein returns for a third consecutive year as celebrity host for the dazzling evening. A veteran of Chicago’s legendary Second City improvisational company and star of stage, screen and television, Klein will captivate attendees with his legendary wit before conducting engaging one-on-one television-style conversations with each of the honored inductees.

The gala’s Master of Ceremonies will be Jimmy Cefalo, former star receiver for the Miami Dolphins and currently Sports Director of WPLG/Channel 10.

The Hall of Fame is named in honor of Ambassador David M. Walters, president of the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation. In1982, Ambassador Walters activated the expansion program that transformed then-Variety Children’s Hospital into the largest, free-standing teaching medical center in the Southeast dedicated exclusively to children. Today Miami Children’s Hospital is recognized around the world as one of our country’s top pediatric institutions, drawing children from 26 countries to receive specialized medical care.

All proceeds from the gala benefit the Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation, which was founded to support the hospital through tax-free and estate gifts, guaranteeing that its special benefits and tender, loving care will continue to be delivered to future generations of South Floridians.