Gloria Lane, Founder and President of Women's International Center, recently announced the names of six exceptional women who have been invited to accept the 1997 Living Legacy Award. The Honorees will accept their honors at a gala ceremony and banquet March 8th at San Diego's U.S. Grant Hotel. Bree Walker, CBS newsanchor and actress will M.C. the stellar evening.

San Diego based Women's International Center was founded in 1982. Its mission is "to acknowledge, honor, encourage, educate and celebrate women" and their positive, enduring contributions to humankind. This year marks the fourteenth year the Awards have been presented, always in San Diego.

Over 100 people have received Living Legacy Awards (not all women). The list read like a who's who of the most distinguished in the world, ranging from Jehan Sadat to Corazon Aquino, from Ginger Rogers to Kate Smith; from Hillary Rodham Clinton to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, from Maya Angelou to Jonas Salk to Mother Theresa --just to name ten remarkable Living Legacy Award recipients whose contributions make the world a finer place to share..

The 1996 Award's ceremony was made memorable for some 450 attendees by the personal appearances of General Eva Burrows (retired world leader of The Salvation Army) and Cathy Keating (First Lady of Oklahoma) as well as famed film actresses Ann Miller, Margaret O'Brien, Rhonda Fleming and Living Legacy Awards' National Chairwoman, Patricia Neal. Dr. Peter Salk accepted a posthumous "Tribute To Greatness" on behalf of his legendary father, Dr. Jonas Salk.

The 1997 Living Legacy Awards are dedicated to Women in Law Enforcement, honoring those who serve and protect our lives and rights.

In addition to the already named individuals, there are four groups being acknowledged. Organizations receiving awards are City Beautiful of San Diego, The San DiegoCounty Epilepsy Society, The Minnow Lake Foundation and The Women's Studies Department, San Diego State University (the nation's oldest).

San Diego resident and Living Legacy Award recipient, Sally Bullard Thornton, renowned philanthropist, businesswoman and writer, will receive Women's International Center's "Volunteer of the Decade" Award.

For more information contact Gloria Lane at Women's International Center at (619) 295-6446 or fax at (619) 296-1633 or for information on former Living Legacy Award recipients (and more),

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