GENE SIMMONS And Family Honored By Mending Kids International
November 11, 2013, 10 years ago
Mending Kids International (MKI) celebrated its heroes at the Wings Around The World - African Safari Gala on November 9th. KISS bassist/vocalist GENE SIMMONS and his family – Shannon Tweed-Simmons, Nick Simmons and Sophie Simmons - were honored with the MEND Humanitarian Award for their support of MKI and their other philanthropic efforts.
The award was presented by Mel Gibson, a long-standing supporter of the non-profit organization that provides free life-changing surgeries to children throughout the world. In his acceptance speech, Gene spoke of his own difficult childhood, raised in Israel in a bullet-ridden house. He recalled his mother's excitement when they received a CARE box one day; it wasn't about the contents, it was about knowing that someone cared and they weren't alone – it gave them hope. When they moved to America, speaking no English, they were embraced by what he calls "the greatest place on the planet." He continued, "Not every child is born with everything intact. I don't have the right NOT to give back and neither do you. Some mother somewhere is crying her heart out because her child can't have what we have in this country and we can change that."
Further details can be found at this location.
