For Immediate Release:
Celebrity volunteers to get award from White House
Celebrity Chef Cat Cora, Actor Gavin MacLeod and leading anti-smoking activist Patrick Reynolds will be presented with the Presidential Lifetime Service Award from President Barack Obama on Saturday
They Will Also Receive the Prestigious "Companionate of Merit Award" from TheHospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem in Honor of Their Humanitarian Efforts Around the World
Riverside, CA— September 17, 2015— Celebrity Chef Cat Cora, Actor Gavin MacLeod and leading anti-smoking activist Patrick Reynolds will receive the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama on Saturday, September 19th. Each will also receive the prestigious Companionate of Merit Award from The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem at their upcoming Investiture Service, on Saturday, September 19, 2015, from 1pm until 3pm at the Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel at The Mission Inn in Riverside, California. All members of the public over the age of 12 are welcome to attend the service free of charge.
A black tie dinner will be held later that evening at The Marriott Convention Center Hotel in Riverside CA from 6 pm – 9 pm in Salon A. Tickets are $150.00 per person and are tax deductible. All members of the public over the age of 12 are invited to attend. As part of the dinner event, Chef Cora will be leading an Avant Premier and book signing of her most recent Book, "Cooking as Fast as I Can".
Patrick Reynolds, grandson of RJ Reynolds and renowned anti-tobacco activist as well as the head of "Be an Elf," which helps to coordinate efforts to provide toys and clothing to needy children and parents every Christmas through the USPS annual "Operation Santa" event, will also be in attendance. Dinner reservations are available by contacting Dame Karen Cantrell, Secretary General of The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem at: , or (760) 219 -8781.
The Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, based in Malta, is a well-recognized modern Chivalric Organization that has been operating in United States since 2011, and has been expanding its many humanitarian outreaches with its 501c3 Charity counterpart, the Saint Lazarus Relief Fund. The Annual Investiture of the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is a unique ritual that champions the creed of service to others while guarding the charm of its old Chivalric Tradition.
The Grand Council of the Order instituted the prestigious Companionate of Merit award to recognize true humanitarians throughout the world for their unique actions and projects, who are making a significant difference in their Hospitaller, philanthropic, charitable, medical, cultural and social activities. The accolades are presented in magnificent ritual form during the annual Investitures of The Order or in special ceremonies commemorating such an occasion.
As part of the Ceremonials, the Order of Saint Lazarus will be also presenting Chef Cora, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. MacLeod the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama. This award recognizes United States citizens and lawfully admitted, permanent residents of the United States who have completed 4,000 or more hours of service over the course of their lifetime. As part of their Presidential recognition, the recipients will receive a personalized certificate, an official pin, and a congratulatory letter from President Obama. The Grand Priory of the United States is a certifying organization for the award. They also will receive the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels membership. Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Commissions for Kentucky Colonels are given by the Governor and the Secretary of State to individuals in recognition of noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to a community, state and the nation.
About The Companionate of Merit Award
The Order of Saint Lazarus, true to its Hospitaller ideals as projected by its constitution submitted to the United Nations – in which the Order is duly registered as a chivalric organization – also ensures that people from all walks of life from all the five continents of the world who have proven, by means of their deeds and chivalric or Hospitaller initiatives, that they are, practically and voluntarily, aiding and assisting the vulnerable within society, are duly recognized.
To this end, the Grand Council of the Order instituted the prestigious Companionate of Merit of the Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem; a special accolade given to recognize true humanitarians throughout the world for their unique actions and projects, who are making a significant difference in their Hospitaller, philanthropic, charitable, medical, cultural and social activities.
This accolade includes distinguished personalities from various jurisdictions, whose initiatives are minutely screened and assessed by specialists in their respective field commissioned by the Grand Council of the Order. The accolades are normally presented in ritual form during the annual investitures of the Order or in special ceremonies commemorating such an occasion.
The Companionate of Merit of the Order is by invitation only and includes distinguished personalities without discrimination as to gender orientation, age, color or creed.
About the honorees:
Cat Cora:
Cat Cora was the first female "Iron Chef," and is an accomplished author, restaurateur, television host, contributing editor, philanthropist, lifestyle entrepreneur and proud mother of four. She was also the first female to be inducted into the American Academy of Chefs® Culinary Hall of Fame. Chef Cora is being honored for her humanitarian efforts around the world, including the development of "Chefs for Humanity."
"Every day I think about food. As a chef, food is my passion and my profession. But I'm acutely aware that in too many places all over the world, children and families are thinking about food too, because they don't have enough. After the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami, I decided to take on hunger and dedicate energy to connect with others to help bring relief to those in need and provide needed education on nutrition to improve health and wellbeing. Having seen the faces of hunger in children in Haiti, New Orleans, Honduras and beyond, I know we can make a difference. We all have a part to play in leveraging our individual and collective talents to reach others in need here at home and overseas. I hope you'll join us as we develop Chefs for Humanity into a substantial force in reducing hunger worldwide," said Ms. Cora.
Gavin MacLeod:
"My role as a Christian is more important than 'Love Boat' and 'Mary Tyler Moore' success," said Gavin MacLeod, who was previously honored as Humanitarian of the Year by the Gift of Life Foundation in 1992. Gavin and his wife Patti are Evangelical Christians and credit their religion for bringing them back together. On February 1, 2014, MacLeod was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in downtown Palm Springs, California.
Patrick Reynolds:
A grandson of tobacco company founder RJ Reynolds, Patrick Reynolds watched his father, eldest brother and other members of his family die from cigarette-induced disease. Concerned about the mounting health evidence, in 1986 Patrick made the decision to speak out in Congress against the industry his family helped build. Since then, he has advocated publicly for numerous smoking bans, spending on teen smoking prevention, and tobacco tax hikes. Former US Surgeon General C. Everett Koop called Reynolds "one of the nation's most influential advocates of a smokefree America." Mr. Reynolds serves as Executive Director of the Foundation for a Smokefree America, a nonprofit group he founded in 1989 whose mission is to motivate youth to stay tobacco free and empower smokers to quit successfully. Smokefree America is now seeking funding for Patrick Reynolds to speak internationally, to build public awareness about smoking and goodwill in other nations. The group's website is Mr. Reynolds is also the Executive Director of BeAnElf.org which helps coordinate efforts to provide toys and clothing every Christmas to needy children and parents, through the USPS ® annual "Operation Santa" event. His full bio is at .
Photos of the Presidential award are online at
Photos of Patrick Reynolds are downloadable at
For more information about the President Obama's Award, visit and -- The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest award in this group.
For More Information about Hospitaller Order of Jerusalem:
For More information About the Hospitaller Order in the USA:
United States Grand Priory on Facebook:
Press Contact:
Marc Kruskol / MJK Public Relations
(661) 538-1789
Amy Kim
Office Manager
TobaccoFree.org
Los Angeles, CA
310-880-1111
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