SALEM, N.J., March 2, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Mannington Mills, a leading manufacturer of fine flooring, has announced the call for nominations for the 2006 "Stand On A Better World" Awards. Nominations currently are being accepted exclusively at the awards Web site, www.StandOnABetterWorld.com, now through Aug. 31, 2006.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2401
Winners will be announced this October. The awards ceremony for Stand On A Better World takes place Nov. 16 in Philadelphia at the National Liberty Museum.
Founded in 2005, the Stand On Better World Awards honors women across the country who are enriching the lives of others and making a positive impact in their communities. The program offers three award categories:
1. Social -- Reaching out to help improve the quality
of life of others
2. Economic -- Helping to change the economic situation
for individuals or organizations
3. Environmental -- Demonstrating a commitment to preserving
our country's natural resources
Complete information and rules are available at www.standonabetterworld.com. Any U.S. or Canadian female citizen is eligible to be nominated. There are no age restrictions.
The award winners will be chosen by a selection committee that includes:
-- Leeza Gibbons - Television news journalist and host, radio personality, producer and businesswoman. Gibbons is founder of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, a non-profit that supports those affected by Alzheimer's disease and the search to find a cure.
-- Dorothy Hamill - Figure-skating legend and Gold Medalist in the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. Hamill, who recently appeared on FOX-TV's "Skating with Celebrities," supports a number of charitable organizations, including the International Special Olympics and March of Dimes.
-- Christine Todd Whitman - The first female governor of New Jersey. Served in the cabinet of President George W. Bush as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from January 2001 until June 2003.
In addition, Deborah Bell, the grand-prize winner for 2005 and co-founder of Refuge International, will be among the judges for 2006.
One winner will be chosen in each category, with a grand-prize awarded to the top-scoring recipient. The prizes include:
-- A $25,000 grand prize, donated to the winner's chosen charity
-- $10,000 to each of the other two winners, also donated to their
selected charities
-- $1,000 for five additional finalists, which will be contributed
to their favorite charities
-- All-expense-paid trips to Philadelphia for the top three winners
and a guest to the Stand On A Better Awards ceremony, held
Nov. 16, at the National Liberty Museum
-- Each of the top three winners, and the people who nominated them,
also will receive free Mannington flooring product
For the inaugural year in 2005, the winners were:
Social Category
-- Deborah Bell, Gilmer, Texas, who co-founded Refuge International
(www.refugeinternational.com), a non-profit dedicated to
improving the quality of life for Guatemalans
Economic Category
-- Kip Tiernan, Boston, founder of Rosie's Place (www.rosies.org),
a shelter in Boston that provides services to poor and homeless
women
Environmental Category
-- Sharen Trembath, Angola, N.Y., founder of the Great Lakes Beach
Sweep, responsible for cleaning up more than 95 miles of New York
State shoreline
Tom Davis, president and chief executive officer of Mannington Mills Inc., expects this year's program to be even bigger as more women hear about the awards.
"In our first year, we received more than 450 nominations which contained stories about women who have demonstrated great strength, passion and courage to help others. These women are an inspiration to us all, and truly make our world a better place on which to stand," Davis said.
Based in Salem, N.J., Mannington celebrated its 90th anniversary in 2005. For additional information, visit www.mannington.com.
Note to Editors: For awards photography or interview requests, please call 404-898-0423 or send e-mail to davanzo@creativecomminc.com.
The photo accompanying this release is also available at NewsCom, www.newscom.com, and via AP Photo Express
