Press Room

October 27, 2009

PRESS CONTACTS: Tabari McCoy, (513) 373-6592, tmccoy@cincymuseum.org or Ben Cober, (513) 373-3242, bcober@cincymuseum.org

**CONTACT MUSEUM CENTER WITH ALL INTERVIEW REQUESTS**

2009 Difference Makers to be honored at Cincinnati Museum Center
Duke Energy Children's Museum to host second annual awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29

CINCINNATI – There are people who aspire every day to make a difference in their communities and the lives of the people within them. This month, the Duke Energy Children’s Museum at Cincinnati Museum Center will honor five people/organizations making a positive difference in the lives of local children.

Two adults, one organization and two youths will be recognized at Duke Energy Children's Museum's Second Annual Difference Maker Awards, which starts at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Honorees were selected from nominations from the community at large; the winners were then chosen by a panel of community judges.

The inaugural Duke Energy Children's Museum Difference Maker Awards took place in October 2008 as part of the museum's 10th anniversary at Union Terminal celebration. The 2009 Difference Maker Awards are being given in honor of those parents and community leaders dedicated to creating a children's museum.

This year’s adult honorees are:

Tricia Hackney. A resident of St. Bernard, Hackney is a “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” photographer who is on call day and night, visiting hospitals and taking photos of family with a child that has passed away. She was nominated for her dedication and professionalism in “providing incredible pictures, a warm smile and a reminder that your child is beautiful” and “will forever have his or her place in your life."
Lisa Siders-Kenney. On March 7, Siders-Kenney’s 13 year-old daughter Esme was murdered near her home while jogging. Instead of focusing on the tragic nature of the loss, Siders-Kenney dedicated herself to making positive changes in her daughter’s honor, such as Emergency Search for Missing and Endangered (or ESME), the new Cincinnati Police Department training program. Even before Esme's death, Siders-Kenney worked with children in a battered women's shelter to help them use art as a creative outlet and volunteered 2 years with "Threatre in Diversion," a program for non-violent, first time offenders ages 12-16 at Northern Kentucky University.
The Aubrey Rose Foundation. Created by Jerry and Nancy Hollenkamp in memory of their daughter (who passed away just before turning 3 years-old in 2000), the Aubrey Rose Foundation helps families with financial needs incurred because of medical expenses. In addition, the foundation organizes dinners at the Ronald McDonald House, raises money for the American Heart Association and awards scholarships in addition to buying toys/organizing holiday parties for youths at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

This year’s youth honorees are:

Graham Turner. Diagnosed with Type 1 juvenile diabetes at age 6, Turner organizes an “Walk for the Cure” event annually and has raised more than $20,000 in addition to writing fundraising letters. He also visits schools to encourage his peers to take care of themselves to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes in their own lives.
Leah Renee Jordan. Diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous leukemia before turning 10 and then undergoing 9 months of treatment, Jordan is dedicated to raising other patients’ spirits as they undergo treatments/procedures at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Cost to attend the reception is $25 per person. Call (513) 287-7021 or visit www.cincymuseum.org to RSVP to the event or for more information.

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Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration. As one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest, Cincinnati Museum Center has served as an educational, research and entertainment resource to millions of visitors from around the world.

Organizations within Museum Center include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. These organizations combine to serve more than one million visitors annually, reaching out to nearly 400,000 young people through hands-on exhibits and programs.

Originally built in 1933 as a train station,Union Terminal stands as one of the last remaining grand-scale Art Deco style railroad terminals. The building is a National Historic Landmark and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990.For information, call 1-800-733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.

Cincinnati Museum Center gratefully acknowledges operating and capital support from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and the State of Ohio.