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Contact:
Dilys Jones/Christa Spieth
Marketing & Communications Department
House Ear Institute (HEI)
(213) 483-8789 or (213) 273-8027
newsmedia@h...

BENEFIT GALA RAISES FUNDS AND HONORS VALUED SUPPORTERS OF HOUSE EAR INSTITUTE

LOS ANGELES – March 1, 2001 – Jerry Dunphy will be Master of Ceremonies at the House Ear Institute's 23rd Annual Benefit Gala on March 29, 2001. The festivities, held in the Beverly Hilton Hotel's International Ballroom, will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Gala will recognize philanthropists Rick and Tina Caruso as Humanitarians of the Year for their generous support of the House Ear Institute (HEI) and its Children's Center. Lou Rawls will provide outstanding musical entertainment for the evening's guests and honorees.

The Benefit Gala, organized by Sonance and the Associates of the House Ear Institute, is held every year as a fundraiser to benefit HEI research and education. The Institute's prestigious Humanitarian Award is given to individuals who promote human welfare by helping to eliminate pain and suffering through extraordinary effort and generous devotion of time and resources to accomplish this goal.

Rick and Tina Caruso contribute significant time and energy to numerous organizations that benefit the Los Angeles community. Tina Caruso has been an active member of the National Institute of Transplantation for eight years, while Rick Caruso has served on the board of the California Medical Center for nearly 15 years. Additionally, both Carusos are involved in civic programs that benefit children's education and health. Together, they contribute to scholarship programs for underprivileged youth and support the Emergency Room at the California Medical Center, where a number of Los Angeles infants are born.

The Carusos became involved in supporting the House Ear Institute after John House, M.D., began treating their 8-month-old daughter for a mild hearing loss. As concerned parents, the Carusos were grateful to find that the Institute, its Children's Center and staff of committed hearing specialists provide a valuable resource of reliable information and pioneering medicine for the community.

About the House Ear Institute (HEI)

House Ear Institute (HEI) was established in 1946 by Howard P. House, M.D., as a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people who have hearing or related disorders, through ongoing research and education. HEI has been engaged in an exploration of the auditory system from the ear canal through the inner ear and into the cortex of the brain for more than 50 years.

The Institute has achieved an international reputation as a leader in its field, recently expanding its exploration of the auditory system to the cell and molecular level. HEI scientists continue to improve and develop hearing aids, auditory implants, innovative treatments and intervention methods. For more information on the House Ear Institute, please call (213) 483-4431 or visit the Web site at [url="http://www.hei.org."]www.hei.org.[/url]

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