By Tim Saunders on
Kirk Douglas has been honored for his work improving children’s playgrounds across Los Angeles.
The 91-year-old received the Good News Makers of the Year Award with his wife, Anne, at the annual High Flying Fundraiser luncheon held by the Good News Foundation last week.
The Douglases’ interest in improving LA’s playgrounds started in 1997, when Anne Douglas learnt of the deplorable condition of Los Angeles’ public school playgrounds. Along with her husband, Anne established the Anne & Kirk Douglas Playground Award to provide assistance to the Los Angeles Unified School District to enhance their schools’ outdoor and recreational spaces. The award supports and encourages Los Angeles public school communities in creating playgrounds that will be the keystones of campus revitalization and give the city’s children the fulfilling experiences and opportunities they deserve.
Kirk Douglas – who suffered a stroke in 1996 that has affected his ability to speak – volunteers at the Los Angeles Mission every Thanksgiving, and earlier this month spoke to communicative disorder students in Cal State Long Beach about speech therapy, life, show biz and surviving a stroke.
“When you have a stroke, you must speak slowly to be understood,” he said. “And I discovered that, when I speak slowly, people listen. They think I’m going to say something important.”
Douglas will also receive an honor at the Ambassadors for Humanity Gala Dinner on October 22.
Copyright © 2008 Look to the Stars
