Elizabeth Berkley Joins ID Media for Gilda's Club Worldwide Holiday Raffle

NEW YORK, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 8th, actress Elizabeth Berkley joined staff of ID Media, the largest direct and digital media services company in the U.S., to take part in the Gilda's Club Worldwide Holiday Fundraising Raffle. Held at the ID Media offices in New York, the raffle drawing brought together ID Media staff, clients, vendors and friends united against cancer. The raffle event, along with an online auction hosted on eBay, were created to raise funds for Gilda's Club Worldwide, a leading nonprofit organization that provides emotional and social support for thousands of men, women and children living with cancer -- a proven approach in cancer treatment. The raffle and online auction have raised over $35,000, all of which will go to support Gilda's Club Worldwide. A Gilda's Club Worldwide trustee has also committed to match every Dollar raised.

Raffle winners were awarded prizes such as iPods, DVD players, digital cameras, sports event tickets, and gift cards for Home Depot, Circuit City, and American Express, generously donated by ID Media's clients, media partners and friends. In addition to the raffle, items such as vacation packages, Nautilus fitness equipment, golf packages, Dior and Guerlain gift bags, tickets to Broadway shows, and many more were donated for the online auction. ID Media encouraged staff, friends and family to bid on these exciting items in order to further fundraising efforts.

The raffle and eBay auction fundraising programs have also been a unique way to bring together the advertising and media communities to support Gilda's Club Worldwide. Numerous agencies opened their doors to sell raffle tickets to employees, including DraftFCB, Hill Holliday, Initiative Media, Lowe, Marketing Drive, Media First, Media Partnership, Universal McCann, Young & Rubicam and Wahlstrom. Ad agencies, including Deutsch, DraftFCB, and Hill Holliday had also generously supported the fundraising drive with donations and creative contributions.

"ID Media is committed to our community mission to care about cancer. The Gilda's Club Worldwide raffle and auction were meaningful ways to engage our employees and partners during this holiday season to support Gilda's Club Worldwide, a truly worthy organization," said Lynn Fantom, ID Media's chairman and CEO and a Gilda's Club Worldwide board member.

"Gilda's Clubs are essential and important because there really aren't many places that provide the support services they offer. The continuing fundraising efforts of ID Media helps to make sure no one has to face cancer alone," said Berkley.

The raffle and auction initiatives serve as the year end finale of ID Media's continuing community mission to care about cancer. Led by ID Media's Caring About Cancer committee, activities have included internal workshops to raise awareness about different types of cancer, volunteerism, and ongoing fundraising through bake sales and special events. ID Media's New York office also features an in-house employee coffee bar -- which the agency covers at its own expense -- with 100 percent of the proceeds donated directly to Gilda's Club Worldwide. With one dollar, one raffle ticket, or one cupcake or cookie at a time, ID Media employees can enjoy knowing they are quietly yet powerfully helping make sure no one has to face cancer alone.

About Elizabeth Berkley

On stage, Berkley was most recently seen in "Hurly Burly," starring Ethan Hawke. She debuted on Broadway in "Sly Fox." On film, she has starred in director Woody Allen's "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion," "Roger Dodger," costarring Campbell Scott, and "The First Wives Club." Television credits include the hit "Saved by the Bell." Berkley is a strong supporter of Gilda's Club Worldwide.

About ID Media

ID Media helps leading advertisers profit in today's fast-changing media marketplace. The company, which is the largest direct and digital media services company in the country, delivers the best possible return on media investments because of its superior rates, research resources, and reporting systems. ID Media serves clients including American Express, Johnson & Johnson, HBO, L'Oreal Paris, Nautilus, and Verizon from locations in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. ID Media is part of The Interpublic Group of Companies .

About Gilda's Club Worldwide

Gilda's Club Worldwide is a leader in the field of emotional and social support for people living with cancer and is committed to making sure that no one has to face cancer alone. The 21 Gilda's Clubhouses located across North America, with eight more in development, have helped thousands of men, women, and children receive, free of charge, the emotional and social support that is a critical component of cancer care. Gilda's Club serves individuals with all types and stages of cancer, their families and friends, as well as people who have lost someone to the disease. At Gilda's Club, people learn that it is possible to live their lives with cancer, whatever the outcome.

Companies interested in supporting Gilda's Club Worldwide through financial contributions or volunteer programs should contact Lucretia Gilbert, Assistant Director of Development for Gilda's Club Worldwide at 1-888-GILDA-4-U or visit http://www.gildasclub.org/ .