Ornellaia CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja presents a check to Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation at the Vendemmia d’Artista 2016 “La Tensione” Auction

“The appreciation of great wines, as well as the enjoyment of art, requires the involvement of all the senses, and that’s why we decided to support a high-value project like “Mind’s Eye”, declared Ornellaia’s CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaja

VENICE, Italy (PRWEB)
September 16, 2019

One of Italy’s most highly regarded estates, Ornellaia, is pleased to announce that on September 13 at the headquarters of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in the spectacular Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, a ceremony was held to marked the conclusion of the Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista 2016 “La Tensione” online auction, hosted by Sotheby’s. The initiative, conceived by Ornellaia in collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, made it possible to collect $312,000 with profits entirely allocated to the “Mind’s Eye” program.

The “Mind’s Eye” program, conceived by the Guggenheim’s education department, helps blind and visually impaired people to experience art through the use of all the senses. This promotes the development of creative impressions, emotional connections and memories, the perception of which lasts over time. As in art, the appreciation of great wines requires the involvement of all the senses. The sharing of this idea has led Ornellaia to support the growth of this particular program. The donations collected through Ornellaia’s Vendemmia d’Artista project enable the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation to further develop the activities of the “Mind’s Eye” program with the aim of spreading the model to other art institutions, ensuring that its excellence continues to guide the museum’s programing for the blind and visually impaired throughout the world.

During the closing ceremony of the auction, which gave bidders the chance to win nine precious 6-liter Imperials and the only 9-liter Salmanazar of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista “La Tensione” 2016, designed by the internationally renowned artist Shirin Neshat, Ornellaia’s CEO, Giovanni Geddes da Filicaia declared with satisfaction: “The appreciation of great wines, as well as the enjoyment of art, requires the involvement of all the senses, and that’s why we decided to support a high-value project like “Mind’s Eye”. In so doing, we are able to help adults with disabilities to experience art by means of activities which, through the use of the senses, provide a model of access to art that can be implemented worldwide and a legacy for future generations”. Words shared by Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, who added: “The founding mission of the Guggenheim has been to collect and exhibit art that was not simply modern, not just new, but revolutionary. Thanks to Ornellaia, we are able involve an even wider public in this mission”.

Tension is the character chosen to define the wine produced by the 2016 grape harvest, a highly successful vintage which, according to Ornellaia’s Estate Director, Axel Heinz “highlights all the virtues of the climate of Bolgheri: abundant sunshine, not excessive heat, a dry summer which allows the grapes to reach a perfect level of ripeness,

concentration and sufficient rain to avoid water stress. All these elements combined allow us to obtain a perfectly mature and opulent wine, firm and intense; opposite forces create a sense of deep vigour which we like to call “tension”.

These are the notes on which Shirin Neshat worked to provide his interpretation of Tension. The artist was inspired by the Persian poet Omar Khayyām, who claimed that wine should be “enjoyed during our short time on earth”. This theme is shared using elements of Middle Eastern culture such as female faces, hands and bodies decorated with Persian calligraphy and henna decorations in continuity with the poetics of the artist.

About Ornellaia – http://www.ornellaia.com

Ornellaia’s philosophy considers the birth of the wines to be the truest expression of their terroir. The grapes for Ornellaia are selected by hand, and picked in the estate’s vineyards in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan coast. The varying natures of the estate’s terroirs, marine, alluvial and volcanic, are ideal for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The Estate extends over 115 hectares along the Tuscan coast, just a short distance from the medieval hamlet of Bolgheri and the famed cypress-lined avenue ‘Viale dei Cipressi’. The constant work of the Ornellaia team and the ideal microclimatic and geological characteristics have brought the wines great international success since the first vintage of Ornellaia in 1985. In 2001, the 1998 Ornellaia was declared Wine of the Year by the American journal Wine Spectator. In 2011 the German publication Der Feinschmecker awarded Ornellaia its most sought-after award, the ‘Weinlegende’. Ornellaia has received considerable recognition in the national and international press, and is consistently ranked among the top estates by Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator, James Suckling, Antonio Galloni, Bruce Sanderson and the Italian Wine Guides: Gambero Rosso, Espresso, and Veronelli.

About Vendemmia d’Artista

The Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista project celebrates the exclusive character of each new Ornellaia vintage. Every year, starting with the release of Ornellaia 2006 in May 2009, a contemporary artist has signed a work of art and a series of limited edition labels, drawing inspiration from a word chosen by the winemaker and which describes the character of the new vintage.

The project provides that in each case of Ornellaia, one of the six bottles (750 ml) bears the label created by the artist. As in previous years, the project includes a limited edition of 111 large-size bottles (one hundred 3-litre Double Magnums, ten 6-litre Imperial bottles and one 9-litre Salmanazar) numbered and signed personally by the artist. Every year a selection of these bottles with exclusive labels, designed and signed personally by the artist and extremely sought after by art and wine collectors, are auctioned at SOTHEBY’S, for both charity and commercial purposes; the proceeds are donated to art foundations around the world. From ORNELLAIA 2006 to the present day, a total of over two million dollars has been shared out between the Whitney Museum in New York, the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan, the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, the H2 Foundation in Hong Kong and Shanghai, the Royal Opera House in London, the AGO Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, the Fondation Beyeler in Basel, the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

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Disabled Sports USA Elite Team Member Casey Followay

ROCKVILLE, Md. (PRWEB)
September 12, 2019

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee has named The Hartford’s Ability Equipped program as its 2019 Rings of Gold award recipient for making adaptive sport equipment and opportunities more accessible to athletes of various ages and skill levels nationwide. The award will be presented at the awards gala on Friday, September 13 as part of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Assembly in Colorado Springs.

In partnership with Disabled Sports USA, The Hartford’s Ability Equipped program is empowering athletes with disabilities to experience the life-changing power of sport by making adaptive equipment more readily available throughout the United States. With The Hartford’s three-year, $2.2 million contribution, Ability Equipped aims to increase the capacity of community grassroots organizations and bridge the gap to elite sport opportunities by identifying, supporting and empowering the 250+ athletes, ages 13-24, who comprise the Disabled Sports USA Elite Team.

Through The Hartford’s Ability Equipped program, over $300,000 in equipment grants will be awarded to more than 120 Disabled Sports USA (DSUSA) Elite Team athletes competing across all the Paralympic sports. Ten of these athletes recently represented Team USA in five different sports at the Parapan American Games Lima 2019, including 22 year-old Casey Followay from Wooster, Ohio. Followay was named to the DSUSA Elite Team in 2016 and received an Ability Equipped grant to purchase adaptive sports equipment, namely a new racing chair. “This type of equipment is expensive. I am very honored to be involved with DSUSA and grateful for the generosity. This will help me achieve the goals I set when I was young.” One of his goals is to represent Team USA at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Adaptive sports equipment is an important investment that will help grow the Paralympic Movement and sustain future Paralympians’ opportunities to develop and compete. With adaptive sports equipment often costing more than five times as much as mainstream sport equipment, the Ability Equipped program aims to empower adaptive athletes to reach their full potential.

The program is already showing success across key indicators. Within a year of the first round of grants, which were distributed in December 2018, six DSUSA chapters saw a 76 percent increase in program days, an 82 percent increase in equipment inventory, a 111 percent increase in volunteers, a 148 percent increase in instructors and trainers, and a 62 percent increase in program participants, with more than 1,110 new participants – including 25 percent youth. Additionally, the Ability Equipped program awarded $305,000 to seven DSUSA chapters in August 2019, and will award another $340,000 in 2020 – all building toward the ultimate goal to introduce more than 60,000 youth with disabilities to adaptive sport by the Los Angles Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028. By investing in these local organizations that provide sport opportunities to youth, especially in underserved geographic locations, the program is fostering healthier, happier and more inclusive communities and teaching youth valuable life skills through sports. Embodying the philosophy of Olympism, Ability Equipped emphasizes the joy found in effort, as participants are chosen based not on their previous accomplishments, but on their proven commitment and desire to achieve Paralympic greatness.

“We are so proud that our impactful partnership with The Hartford’s Ability Equipped is being recognized as the 2019 Rings of Gold award recipient. This program is changing lives by delivering accessibility to adaptive sport equipment and opportunities nationwide. It is a privilege to be a part of this effort,” said Glenn Merry, executive director of Disabled Sports USA.

The Rings of Gold award will be presented at the closing dinner of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Assembly, which will feature legendary Jill Ellis, head coach of the world champion U.S. women’s national soccer team as the keynote speaker. Other awards, including the Olympic Torch Award, Jack Kelly Fair Play Award and Diversity & Inclusion Award, will also be presented.

For more information on the Ability Equipped grant program, visit https://www.disabledsportsusa.org/sports/empoweryouthsports/.

About The Hartford

The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at https://www.thehartford.com. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TheHartford_PR.

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Conn. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.

About Disabled Sports USA

Founded in 1967, Disabled Sports USA is a national charitable organization that provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to develop independence, confidence, and fitness through participation in sports. What began as a program to serve Vietnam veterans has since grown into one of the nation’s largest multi-sport, multi-disability organizations, annually serving more than 60,000 wounded warriors, youth, and adults with disabilities. A member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Disabled Sports USA offers programs in more than 50 summer and winter sports through its nationwide network of more than 135 community-based chapters. For more information, visit http://www.disabledsportsusa.org.

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According to the executive director, Dr. Neil Duchac, “We are exceptionally pleased at the opportunity to work with students from the Cumberland. Their presence in this pilot program highlights our dedication to the community and our students.”

ATLANTA (PRWEB)
September 12, 2019

Cumberland Academy of Georgia, an Atlanta-based special needs school, is launching a new and innovative dual enrollment program in partnership with Kennesaw State University. Cumberland’s “Creating Futures” program will be working with KSU’s “Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth” to provide Cumberland’s Career Prep high school seniors with the experience of attending and studying at the college level in the certificate based program. This pilot dual enrollment program will bridge the gap between the Cumberland academic program and the Kennesaw State University Inclusive Learning program.

Once a week, a group of Cumberland’s Career Prep seniors will visit KSU and participate in their academic program. The students will be integrated into the program, taking a class with other college students. Cumberland students will be assigned KSU mentors, attend social events and complete homework as required by the class. The Cumberland seniors will receive support with adapting to the expectations of college life and feeling a sense of comfort when attending social activities like football games and tailgate gatherings.

“Cumberland is uniquely poised to participate in a pilot program as we are always seeking additional experiences to assist students with their academic and social goals. This new dual enrollment experience will help our students ease into a college experience. We are grateful to the Academy for Inclusive Learning and Social Growth for this opportunity,” said Shari Wright, director of Student Advancement at Cumberland. “Students will train to become proficient in a specific skill and receive a certificate of completion. This program provides students with learning differences an opportunity to experience college and be well prepared for full enrollment in the college program upon graduation.”

The staff at KSU agree. “We are exceptionally pleased at the opportunity to work with students from Cumberland Academy of Georgia. Their presence in this pilot program highlights our dedication to the community and our students,” said Dr. Neil Duchac, executive director of the Academy of Inclusive Learning and Social Growth at Kennesaw State University.

About Cumberland Academy of Georgia

Cumberland Academy of Georgia specializes in the needs of students in grades 4 through 12 who have high-functioning autism, Asperger’s syndrome, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities. Cumberland was founded in 2007 by Debbi and Matthew Scarborough, and is a fully-accredited, independent, non-profit school that seeks to provide a safe and supportive academic atmosphere for its students. Cumberland accepts applications year-round. To schedule a family tour, please contact Jane Paoletta, Director of Admissions, at 404-835-9000, or email admissions@cumberlandacademy.org.

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Maoshi Dance Bot

The limits that we see only exist in our minds.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (PRWEB)
August 14, 2019

MaoShi Dance Bot is the project of a team of youngsters who decided to share their idea on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, in order to produce a movie under the same name.

Based on real-life events, the film tells the story of a 10-year-old child that lives in New York and dreams of becoming a mechatronic engineer and a dancer, whose life took a 180 degree turn after suffering a severe accident. To cope with sadness, he ensembles a robot that dances and is capable to show and understand feelings, just like humans. From that point forward, the adventure begins.

MaoShi, the movie creator and CEO of Galiano Company Studios, intends to give hope to children and people with disabilities, encouraging them to find a reason to keep going despite the circumstances.

To produce the movie, the team has set a 10 million dollar goal. The idea is to bring the movie to the big screen, worldwide.

We asked creator MaoShi where he got the inspiration for the film, and he said: “The kid is actually me. I had an accident that completely changed my life and taught me to never give up. I re-learned how to walk and understood that if I survived, I just had to share my story.”

Contributions to the funding can be made starting on August 9, 2019 at Indiegogo.

To support the project, you just need to search “MaoShi Dance Bot” on the website and make your contribution. Likewise, all the information related to the process and updates on the film will be available on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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