– Singing Competition to Celebrate National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Week –

WHO: The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) and its Pittsburgh Multicultural Volunteer Task Force

WHAT: Pledge for Life Gospel Idol, a singing competition that features performances in the following categories: gospel singing (solo/group/choir), Christian rap, mime, spoken word and liturgical dance. Bishop Loran Mann of the Pentecostal Temple Church in Pittsburgh will serve as Master of Ceremony. The event will be held in celebration of National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Week, a national observance August 1-8.

WHEN: Saturday, July 25 at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Kelly Strayhorn Theater (5941 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa., 15208)

DETAILS: After submitting a 90-second DVD or YouTube video showcasing their talent, the top ten finalists will perform live at the event, where first, second, third place winners were selected by a panel of judges. A “Viewer’s Choice” winner was selected by the audience.  The prizes are as follows:

• First place ($1,000)
• Second place ($750)
• Third place ($500)
• Viewer’s Choice ($250)

 Admission is free and open to the public.

National Minority Organ Donor Awareness Week, celebrated nationally from August 1-8, is designed to increase awareness of the need for organ, tissue and cornea donation in minority communities.  It seeks to bring together faith leaders, donor families and transplant recipients to highlight the ways that lives can be saved and enhanced through organ, tissue and cornea donation.

About CORE
The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States.  CORE works closely with donor families and designated health care professionals to coordinate the surgical recovery of organs, tissues and corneas for transplantation.  CORE also facilitates the computerized matching of donated organs and placement of corneas.  With headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, West Virginia, CORE oversees a region that encompasses 155 hospitals and almost six million people throughout western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, NY.  For more information, visit www.core.org or call 1-800-DONORS-7.