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     Diane KEaton, Don Henley Among HONOREES As ‘RESTORE America Heroes’

National Trust and HGTV Salute ‘Passionate Preservationists’
At 2^nd Annual Preservation Gala

Washington, DC (June 1, 2004) – The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Save America’s Treasures and Home & Garden Television (HGTV) announced today this year’s Restore America Heroes who will be honored at the Second Annual Restore America: A Salute to Preservation Gala.  

For their work in preservation, actress Diane Keaton, musician Don Henley, former Sara Lee Chairman and CEO John H. Bryan, Senator Mike DeWine, Representative John Lewis, and the Travelers Conservation Foundation will be honored at the Gala on June 15 at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

“These individuals have made significant contributions to the preservation of America’s historic and cultural legacy through their unyielding commitment, vision, and leadership.  We are pleased to join with HGTV to honor them with this prestigious award,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The contributions of this year’s honorees vary, from sponsoring critical legislation to benefit preservation projects to serving in leadership positions on preservation boards, and from assisting in the acquisition of historic landmarks to leading fund raising campaigns to save significant historic structures.

“Like the HGTV Restore America public affairs initiative, these Hero Awards were created to raise awareness for preservation by honoring those who have made a significant impact on some of our most important landmarks,” said Burton Jablin, president of HGTV.  “In doing so, maybe others will be inspired to restore a historic home or get involved in the revitalization of an historic neighborhood.  While these honorees are well-known figures, many, many others from all walks of life are getting involved in preservation, ensuring that America does not lose our heritage.”

The Restore America Gala marks the second year of the successful partnership of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and HGTV, inspired by the popular HGTV series, Restore America, and focused on raising awareness of preservation.  The public affairs initiative spotlights the restoration of historic sites throughout the country, with 12 new sites featured each year. Gala guests will view a sneak preview of the 12 sites to be featured on HGTV from October 2004 through September 2005 with one-minute celebrity vignettes and public service announcements.

HGTV’s on-air and online programming, which reaches 86 million households and more than 3.5 Internet users, will tell the stories of each of the selected historic sites that are part of the Save America’s Treasures program at the National Trust. Each site will be featured for one month on HGTV in one-minute celebrity vignettes and public service announcements aired throughout the month.

In addition to the production costs, on-air time and related promotional expenses, HGTV donated $2,000,000 to the partnership with the National Trust.  The Gala is expected to generate over $850,000 for the Trust’s preservation programs.

First Lady Laura Bush is serving as Honorary Chair. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle are chairing the Honorary Committee.  They are joined by Benefit Committee Chairs, Karyn Frist, Linda Daschle, Betty Ann Tanner, Connie Harriman Whitfield, Elinor Farquhar (a Trustee of the National Trust) and HGTV President Burton Jablin. 

Event goers will enjoy a star-studded evening with emcees Sam Donaldson and Jan Smith Donaldson. National dignitaries and celebrities including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Congressman Ralph Regula, Director of the National Park Service Fran Mainella, author Linda Bruckheimer and civil rights activist Vernon E. Jordan will present awards to the Restore America Heroes. 

Over 700 party goers are expected to rock to the music of Mary McBride and bid at a heritage travel silent auction featuring trips to Historic Hotels of America.  People not able to attend the festivities will be able to join in through an online auction.  Film and television star C.C.H. Pounder will add to the antics of Senator Conrad Burns as he conducts a live auction of spectacular and unique items.  

Biographical information on this year’s heroes:

John H. Bryan
In addition to being a highly successful businessman and respected civic leader, John H. Bryan is also an extraordinarily dedicated patron of the arts and historic preservation. In his home city of Chicago, he led a successful $100 million campaign to renovate the historic Lyric Opera House and Orchestra Hall and was appointed by Mayor Daley to head the development of Millennium Park, a spectacular collection of cultural and recreational facilities, outdoor artworks and green spaces on the city’s lakefront. As chairman of the National Trust Council and honorary chair of the Campaign for America’s Historic Places, he played a major role in ensuring the future financial strength of the organization that leads America’s preservation movement. In 2003, he spearheaded a long and challenging effort that culminated in the National Trust’s purchase of the famed Farnsworth House, thus ensuring that this world-famous icon of modern design will be preserved and open to the public for generations to come.

The Honorable Mike DeWine
In less than ten years as U.S. Senator from Ohio, Mike DeWine has built a record of support for preservation matched by few other legislators. Through his efforts, the Fallen Timbers Battlefield, site of a 1794 battle that played a pivotal role in opening the West, was saved from commercial development and named a National Historic Site. His advocacy last year helped increase funding for the Historic Preservation Fund which enables states and tribes to carry out essential preservation programs, and he has strongly supported the recognition and preservation of the invaluable legacy of the Underground Railroad. As chief sponsor of the Presidential Sites Improvement Act, Senator DeWine is spotlighting the need for a strong federal role in preserving presidential sites across the country, and he has provided key leadership in securing congressional funding for the preservation of the President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument in Washington – funding which will allow the National Trust to open the site as the premier center for the study and interpretation of the Lincoln presidency.

Don Henley
Throughout much of his long career as a critically acclaimed and hugely popular composer and performer, Don Henley has been a dedicated preservationist and true friend to the National Trust. More than a decade ago he began his involvement – both personal and financial – in the long and challenging effort to preserve Henry David Thoreau’s beloved Walden Woods, which appeared on the National Trust’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 1990. His hands-on commitment and unwavering personal conviction helped ensure that this historic treasure will be saved so that future generations can experience it, learn from it and be inspired by it. More recently, Mr. Henley has lent his support to efforts to restore the historic Cass County Courthouse in his hometown of Linden, Texas – demonstrating once again that the passion he brings to the stage and the recording studio can also be a powerful force for preserving the cherished and irreplaceable places that tell America’s story.

Diane Keaton
Internationally known, loved and honored as one of today’s true leading ladies of the screen (and an acclaimed photographer), Diane Keaton has proven herself a leading lady of preservation as well. She is an active member of the board of directors of the Los Angeles Conservancy which fights to recognize, protect and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the nation’s second-largest city, and has taken a particular – and outspoken – role in the ongoing fight to save the historic Ambassador Hotel from demolition. Miss Keaton’s genuine affection for older buildings means that her commitment to the preservation of California’s historic architecture finds expression in work as well as words. She is personally responsible for the restoration of three homes in Los Angeles: a 1928 Art Deco house designed by Lloyd Wright and once owned by actor Ramon Novarro, a 1926 residence by Wallace Neff, and her current home, a 1920 structure in the engaging “hacienda” style that evokes the golden age of the Golden State that she calls home.

The Honorable John Lewis
Representative John Lewis has served the people of his home state of Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1987, but his service to the cause of equality has been lifelong. The same passionate dedication that made him an effective and charismatic leader of the Civil Rights Movement now makes him a compelling, articulate and respected champion of preservation – particularly of our nation’s rich African-American legacy. He has championed the adoption and expansion of preservation tax incentives that have helped spark the rehabilitation of thousands of historic buildings in cities, towns and rural areas from coast to coast. He has been a strong advocate for federal assistance to preservation efforts on the campuses of America’s historically black colleges and universities. For years he has urged the establishment of a national museum to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of African Americans – and last year his tireless labors were rewarded when President Bush signed legislation creating the new museum, to be built in the Capital City where John Lewis serves his people and his nation so well.

 Travelers Conservation Foundation
Travelers Conservation Foundation (TCF) has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the preservation and responsible use of our world’s natural, cultural and historic treasures. TCF has been an outstanding partner of Save America’s Treasures, generously supporting preservation projects at Mesa Verde, Ellis Island, the President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument in Washington and Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House. TCF also promotes historic preservation as a co-sponsor (with Smithsonian magazine) of the annual Sustainable Tourism Awards which honor members of the travel and tourism industry that are committed to protecting our natural environment and cultural resources. Currently TCF is undertaking an ambitious initiative called Tourism – Caring for America that calls on representatives of the tourism industry to “give back” to historic places. Enlisting hundreds of volunteers who helped clean up the south side of Ellis Island and New Orleans’ historic St. Louis Cemetery #1, this initiative aims at ensuring a brighter future for our rich past. 

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize communities. Its Washington, DC-based headquarters staff, six regional offices and 25 historic sites work with the Trust’s  members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. For more information, visit the National Trust’s web site at www.nationaltrust.org.

Home & Garden Television (HGTV) is distributed in more than 85 million U.S. households, making it one of the fastest growing networks in cable television history. Additionally, with nearly 3 million unique visitors on average each month, www.HGTV.com  is  America’s leading online home and garden destination. Internationally, HGTV can be seen in nearly 20 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP), which also operates the Food Network, DIY - Do It Yourself Network and Fine Living, a new network that launched in March, 2002.

Save America’s Treasures was established by Executive Order in 1998 as a public-private partnership of the White House, the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Designed to celebrate American creativity, innovation, and discovery, the program recognizes and supports projects that convey our nation’s rich heritage to future generations. Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush leads this effort along with co-chairs Richard Moe, President of the National Trust, and noted author, Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Former First Lady Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to participate as the program’s Founding Chair. To date, the program has designated over 1,000 Official Projects around the country, generating over $55 million in private support and $188 million in federal SAT challenge grants.