Parade of Pedaling Santas Rides Into Town to Kick-Off the HGTV Make it Home for the Holidays Event

Parade of Pedaling Santas Rides Into Town to Kick-Off the HGTV Make it Home for the Holidays Event

Four-Day Celebration Provides Funds for Rebuilding Together

NEW YORK, Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Santa Claus is coming to town and he's got a new set of wheels this holiday season. To kick-off the "HGTV Make it Home for the Holidays" homecoming celebration, fifty-one Santas traded in their reindeer and sleighs for Pedi cab rides. Each Santa, bedecked to represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia made their way "home" to New York City's Greeley Square Park where they were joined by an all-star group of designers and hosts as well as HGTV president Judy Girard.

"Today we are celebrating the many wonderful aspects of home, family, friendship, the importance of giving and the spirit of community," said Girard. "The pedaling Santas remind us that this is the time of year when no matter where we are, no matter what it takes, we all need to make it home for the holidays."

As part of the opening day festivities, the Santas transported a $25,000 donation to Rebuilding Together, the nation's largest all-volunteer home rehabilitation organization whose mission is to ensure that homeowners in need can live in warmth, safety and independence. Singer/actress and entertainer Diana DeGarmo as well as Rebuilding Together chairperson, Angela Sparks-Beddoe and board member, Jacquie Lawing Ebert, were on-hand to accept the check. From Thursday, November 30 through Friday, December 22, the public can help double the HGTV donation to Rebuilding Together by visiting http://www.hgtv.com/makeithome.

In addition to carrying the check, the Santas also brought gift cards from Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer, and other gifts such as tool box gift sets for presentation to Rebuilding Together.

"We are grateful to HGTV for its generosity," said Rebuilding Together president and CEO Gary A. Officer. "These thoughtful gifts and donations will go a long way in helping homeowners in need across the nation -- particularly the elderly, disabled and families -- live in warmth, safety and independence through Rebuilding Together house rehabilitations and modifications."

During the four-day celebration, which will be open to the public from Thursday, November 30 through Sunday, December 3 from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., visitors to the HGTV "home" at 33rd Street and Broadway can record free personalized holiday video greetings with the network's popular on-air talent, including David Bromstad, HGTV Design Star and Color Splash; John and Jimmy DiResta from Hammered with John & Jimmy DiResta; George Gray, What's With That House?; Danielle Hirsch, Color Splash; Steve and Jim Kelley, Junk Brothers; Michael Johnson, Lisa LaPorta, Taniya Nayak, Clive Pearse, Monica Pedersen and Shane Tallant, Designed to Sell; Gail O'Neill, Mission: Organization; Eric Stromer, Over Your Head, Angelo Surmelis, 24 Hour Design and Steve Watson, Don't Sweat It and Vern Yip who will host a new series on HGTV in 2007.

HGTV also will offer a daily drawing for a chance to win a travel certificate to ensure that family's can make it home for the holidays.

About HGTV

HGTV, America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 91 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top-rated networks. HGTV's website, www.HGTV.com is the nation's leading online home and garden destination that attracts an average of 5.7 million unique visitors per month. HGTV owns 33 percent of HGTV Canada and provides much of the Canadian network's daily programming. The network's branded programming also can be seen in 121 territories across all seven continents and its selected programming is available to service men and women on board Navy ships and through American Forces Radio & Television Service (AFRTS) which services more than 1,000 outlets in over 175 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE:SSP), which also operates Food Network, DIY Network, Fine Living and Great American Country.

About Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is America's largest volunteer-based home-repair organization bringing volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of homeowners in need. The nonprofit has 240 affiliates, mobilizes approximately 275,000 volunteers and renovates nearly 10,000 homes per year. Rebuilding Together is celebrating the rehabilitation of its 100,000th home this year. For details, see www.rebuildingtogether.org or call 1-800-REHAB-9.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: HGTV

CONTACT: Emily Yarborough of HGTV, +1-865-560-4643, or
eyarborough@hgtv.com; or Eileen Campion of Dera, Roslan & Campion Public
Relations, +1-212-966-4600, or eileen@drcpublicrelations.com, for HGTV

Web site: http://www.hgtv.com/
http://www.hgtv.com/makeithome
http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/

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