Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort Starts Sept. 9, as Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror Begins its Final Check-out Celebration

August 30, 2016

TWILIGHT ZONE(TM) TOWER OF TERROR FINAL CHECK-OUT CELEBRATION (ANAHEIM, Calif.) - Guests will enjoy the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror(TM) and its eerie adventure during the final "check-out" celebration, throughout Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. The spooky Halloween season returns to the Disneyland Resort in 2016 from Sept. 9 through Oct. 31. The final chance for guests to check in at the spooky attraction is Jan. 2, 2017, at Disney California Adventure Park. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland)

ANAHEIM, California, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort offers two new reasons for guests to visit this year––a special celebration at The Twilight Zone™ Tower of Terror with a chance to “drop in” like never before, and the debut of the “Frightfully Fun Parade” at Mickey’s Halloween Party, a separate-ticket event. The parade features some popular Disney villains and a procession of grim, grinning ghosts, while The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow appears for the first time at Mickey’s Halloween Party.

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Those treats add to the family-friendly thrills, popular seasonal attractions and spooky decor that make Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort so magical. The season runs from Friday, Sept. 9, through Monday, Oct. 31, offering the popular Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy attractions, themed foods and merchandise, plus spirited decor that features a giant Mickey Mouse jack-‘o-lantern on Main Street, U.S.A.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Final Check-out Celebration at Disney California Adventure Park

The invitation to check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel is even more urgent now as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror approaches its final check-out date, Jan. 2, 2017. A special tribute begins Sept. 9 to salute the haunted hotel’s eerie story and exciting adventure at Disney California Adventure Park. During the celebration, guests who arrive after twilight will enjoy “Late Check-Out”–-a chance to venture beyond the fifth dimension into complete darkness. It’s something guests have never experienced before: free-falling in the attraction’s haunted elevator shaft with all the lights out.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror celebration also includes special musical performances, commemorative merchandise and specialty food and beverage items. Performing at the Hollywood Tower Hotel are the Silver Lake Sisters, characters from the story of this famous hotel who once performed at its rooftop lounge. The sisters make their return to the Hollywood Hotel during Halloween season.

Spooky Halloween Traditions at Disneyland Park

Throughout the Halloween season, guests will find special treats and thrilling traditions. Haunted Mansion Holiday returns to celebrate the collision between Halloween and Christmas, and a familiar guest moves into the Mansion: Jack Skellington from the Walt Disney Pictures classic “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Jack Skellington brings a unique spark to the season and, for the first time, his friend Sally joins him in the Mansion graveyard.
The annual Haunted Mansion Holiday gingerbread house is back with a new theme. This year’s version appears to have been stitched together from pieces of other gingerbread houses and treats. In fact, the ghoulish architect has stitched himself inside the house, and one green arm still may be spotted, sewing the walls together around him.
Another Halloween favorite is Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, a Halloween-themed reimagining of the popular thrill ride in Tomorrowland, at Disneyland. Guests on board the speeding Space Mountain vehicles are thrust into a ghostly galaxy where they are bombarded with eerie screams, sound effects and music. Spine-chilling spirits pop out of the darkness, appearing to reach out to menace the space travelers.
The traditional Mexican celebration, “Dia de los Muertos,” is observed with a skeleton display in Frontierland, near Rancho del Zocalo restaurant.
As a special, after-dark treat during the Halloween season, guests visiting Disneyland on select nights will enjoy the “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks spectacular.
During the day, the dynamic “Mickey’s Soundsational Parade” marches down Main Street, U.S.A., throughout Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort.

Mickey’s Halloween Party

New this year at Mickey’s Halloween Party is the premiere of the “Frightfully Fun Parade,” seen exclusively on the 17 nights of this separately ticketed event at Disneyland.

The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow (from the Disney animated classic “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad”) brings a warning to guests, riding through the park on his ghostly black steed with a flickering jack-‘o-lantern.
Shortly afterward, the parade begins with greetings from Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Grim, grinning (and hitchhiking) ghosts follow along in the procession, joined by other spirits from the iconic Haunted Mansion attraction.
Inspired by Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” the creepy Dr. Facilier calls on mystical powers, summoning his Shadow Men from the bayou to loom large over his strange and twisted Voodoo parlor.
Mischievous Disney villains appear out of the darkness, ready to stir up some trouble, and their wicked gathering includes the Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella.

Mickey’s Halloween Party guests are invited to visit in costume and trick-or-treat throughout Disneyland for candy and healthy snacks. An extra special treat is the “Halloween Screams” fireworks spectacular, presented exclusively for guests of Mickey’s Halloween Party and hosted by “Master of Scare-omonies” Jack Skellington.

Tickets for Mickey’s Halloween Party* may be purchased online and on mobile devices at Disneyland.com/party, as well as at the Disneyland Resort main gate and by phone at 714-781-4400. Guests may check for availability for the 17 nights: Friday, Sept. 23; Monday, Sept. 26, Wednesday, Sept. 28; Friday, Sept. 30; Monday, Oct. 3; Wednesday, Oct. 5; Friday, Oct. 7; Monday, Oct. 10;Wednesday, Oct. 12; Friday, Oct. 14; Monday, Oct. 17; Wednesday, Oct. 19; Friday, Oct. 21; Monday, Oct. 24; Wednesday, Oct. 26; Saturday, Oct. 29; and Monday, Oct. 31, Halloween night. Online and mobile purchases are not available the day of the event. Parking is not included in the ticket price, and parking fees will apply.

Tickets purchased in advance are available at a discount for select nights. Tickets purchased on the day of the event are $89 each. All tickets to Mickey’s Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 29, and Monday, Oct. 31, are $99 each. Mickey’s Halloween Party is a non-smoking event. Smoking is permitted only in the Esplanade outside the Disneyland main entrance.

For more information about Halloween events at the Disneyland Resort, please visit http://www.Disneyland.com/Halloween. Entertainment and attractions are subject to change without notice.

*Mickey’s Halloween Party tickets are subject to availability and are valid only for specific event dates and hours. Space is limited and event dates may sell out. Limit eight (8) tickets per person, per event date. Tickets are nonrefundable and may not be resold. May not be combined with other discounts. Costumes subject to Disney guidelines and should not be obstructive or offensive; please check guidelines for all restrictions. Ages 2 and under: no ticket required. Entertainment may be cancelled due to inclement weather or otherwise. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.

The Twilight Zone® is a registered trademark of CBS, Inc. and is used with permission pursuant to a license from CBS, Inc.
Haunted Mansion Holiday inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

About the Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort features two spectacular theme parks – Disneyland (the original Disney theme park) and Disney California Adventure Park – plus three hotels and the Downtown Disney District, comprising unique dining, entertainment and shopping experiences. The Resort’s hotels are the luxurious, 948-room Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which also features 50 two-bedroom equivalent Disney Vacation Club units; the magical, 973-room Disneyland Hotel – both AAA Four Diamond properties – and the 481-room Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel with its “day-at-the-beach” theme. For information on attractions and vacations at the Disneyland Resort, visit Disneyland.com, call (866) 43-DISNEY or contact local travel agents. Located in Anaheim, Calif., the Disneyland Resort opened July 17, 1955. Open daily, year-round.

Rideshare Company Partners with Longhorn Legends to Promote Safe Rides in and Around Austin, Texas

August 30, 2016

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — From August 15 through November 15, 2016, rideshare company, Fare and 7 Longhorn Legends; Fozzy Whittaker, Aaron Williams, Kwame Cavil, Cedric Griffin, Ricky Williams, Kasey Studdard, and Jaxon Shipley, in cooperation with BAM! PR and Marketing, will be working together to promote safe transportation in and around the Austin metropolitan area.

Fare will be providing unique codes for each player to use to promote the rideshare platform. In return for their endorsement, each player will receive 10% of all their referrals’ time and mileage spending, which will be given to their favorite charity. Fare and Ricky Williams will be picking up a few lucky riders and taking them to the first University of Texas home game VS. Notre Dame, to promote safe & sober rides.

“Not only do we want to provide a reliable and convenient service, but one that is safe, trustworthy and transparent,” said Fare Co-founder Michael Leto. “We want to take a leadership role when it comes to rider and driver safety.”

Fare currently has over 7,000 drivers in the Austin area and has successfully completed nearly 230,000 trips since they opened for business on May 20, 2016. Visit the App Store or Google Play to download the Fare app. For more information, visit ridefare.com.

BAM! PR and Marketing is a global, brand management group providing Marketing & PR services to pro athletes www.bamprandmarketing.com.

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National Education Sunday To Be Celebrated September 4, 2016

August 30, 2016

National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference logo.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC/CONEL), the nation’s leading organization for 16 million Hispanic American Evangelicals, invites churches across the nation to celebrate Education Sunday on September 4, 2016. Thousands of churches have set aside time on the first Sunday of September to pray for and encourage students and teachers in their communities, including those in home, private and public schools. Education Sunday equips parents to take an active role in their children’s education and empowers church members to support high academic achievement for all children in their community.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, founder and president of NHCLC/CONEL is a pastor and a former public school educator. He encourages pastors and parents to seize this opportunity to be light for those held in bondage by ignorance or low standards: “As individuals we are called to shine our light, but when we do so in the heavenly community of Christ’s church, our light combines into an influencing agent. I invite you to celebrate Education Sunday this September as we focus a laser on the value of education for every child in our communities.”

Education Sunday is a dedicated time for congregations to pray for their students and teachers, affirm the value of education, and invite the congregation to support local schools and students. Dr. Andrea Ramirez, Executive Director of the Faith and Education Coalition – NHCLC, comments on the creativity churches bring to Education Sunday: “Each church creates its own unique expression of Education Sunday, and it is a deep blessing to hear about the creativity they employ! We provide resources to every church that registers, yet they celebrate in tailor-made ways that encourage both their specific congregations and communities. There are photo ops with graduation regalia in some churches, college fairs held in others, and additional creative approaches include presentations of reports cards at the altar, praying over children, and disseminating scholarship information. We encourage churches to share their experience with one another as we unite to support student achievement.” Dr. Ramirez also notes that Education Sunday is an ideal time to invite a principal, teacher, or district leader to share ways the church can support local students and schools.

The NHCLC hosts a resource page at www.FaithandEducation.com for churches participating in Education Sunday. Tools provided include bilingual resources and information for parents and church leaders, including:

Parent Toolkit: parents can plan for a successful school year with tips for student success, parent-teacher conference guides, suggestions for homework help, help discovering local afterschool care, and links to academic standards by grade level.
Education Sunday Support: information and ideas include a sample sermon, a new Scholastic/NHCLC bilingual handout with “Back to School” tips, Bible studies for a variety of age groups (for children, youth, and parents), and more.
Scholarship Information: By participating in Education Sunday, churches and their students become eligible and are kept informed about scholarship opportunities throughout the year.
Additional Tools: churches receive other resources throughout the year, including a monthly education e-newsletter and an electronic bilingual College Guide produced via a partnership between Christianity Today and the NHCLC. Church leaders will learn how they can participate in state-based conversations such as school accountability and guaranteeing parents of English language learners have access to vital information for student success.

Dr. Antipas Harris, both a member of the NHCLC Board and the Faith and Education Coalition leadership advisory council, encourages African-American churches to seize the Education Sunday opportunity: “This school year we can dedicate and equip our children to rise to the call the Lord has placed on each individual life. Dedicating one Sunday to the value of education will help students answer the call to love the Lord with the fullness of our minds (Luke 10:27).”

“The Lord made our minds as well as our bodies and souls,” comments Dr. Andrea Ramirez. “So it is an act of worship for us to submit our minds to Him and ask how we can connect our earthly assignments to our eternal purpose. We can help our students understand that every time they walk into a classroom, write an assignment, study, or take a test, they have an opportunity to worship the Lord with the totality of their minds. All classrooms have the potential to be sacred ground.”

The NHCLC, which values Education as one of its core directives, advocates for Hispanic student success including education equity and high academic standards for all students as a part of its mission as a Christian organization.

The NHCLC serves as a representative voice for the more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals worldwide, assembled in over 40,000 U.S. churches and hundreds of thousands of congregations throughout the Spanish-speaking diaspora. Seeking to reconcile evangelist Billy Graham’s message of salvation with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s march of prophetic activism, the NHCLC emphasizes “7 Directives” of Life, Family, Compassionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Education and Youth. For additional information, visit http://www.nhclc.org.

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Medula and Microsoft tell Portada how their Collaboration Boosts their Global Reaches

August 30, 2016

NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Latin American publisher-owned multiplatform media company Medula has been managing Microsoft’s commercial representations in LatAm for almost a year now. That is why Portada, the leading Source on Latin Marketing and media, spoke to Kenneth Andrew, General Manager, Advertising & Online Emerging Markets at Microsoft, and Alejandro Mondrzak, Corporate SVP & CEO of the Digital Business Unit at Grupo Clarin (a Medula shareholder), to discuss why this kind of collaboration is so important in today’s global economy.

Medula Positions Itself as Rep for Premium Global Publishers

Medula offers media buying, content, programmatic, mobile and video services, with a special focus on the premium audiences and content that make Latin America unique. Javier Chanfreau was appointed CEO of Medula in July 2015, and among other deals, he immediately secured a partnership with Microsoft to manage its ad sales in the region. Medula’s properties include Grupo Clarin from Argentina, Grupo Copesa from Chile, Grupo Opsa from Honduras, and PAL (Periodicos Asociados de Latinoamérica).

Gaining Microsoft as a client helped secure the company’s place as a top representative company for premium worldwide publishers.

As Latin America has become increasingly attractive to dynamic businesses looking to expand their global reach, Medula’s goal is to become their go-to media partner in the region, leveraging its local expertise and longstanding relationships with local commercial ventures. Microsoft has its own impressive set of properties and brands (Skype, Bing, MSN and Xbox, to name a few), and is ambitiously pursuing opportunities to reach global audiences as it develops its business model.

Microsoft Turns to Medula for Support in New Ad-Driven Revenue Model

One would be hard-pressed to think of a more global or dynamic company than Microsoft. The company has recently switched from a business model focused on selling its products and operating system, Windows, to offering those products for free, working with a revenue model based on advertising to subsidize its users’ free experiences.

“Microsoft Advertising has free consumer assets that millions of people use every day, but the principal revenue stream is through advertising. We are constantly evolving how we provide those to agencies and brands, and have a longstanding relationship with Medula in Latin America,” says Kenneth Andrew, General Manager, Advertising & Online Emerging Markets at Microsoft.

Microsoft has been partnering with AppNexus to run its programmatic operations for a year now, and getting Medula in on the action meant that Medula and AppNexus could form a symbiotic relationship, the former making use of its tight relationships with agency trading desks, buying from an audience perspective, and the latter working with big advertisers on sponsorships and branding opportunities in the region to reach mass audiences.

Microsoft is happy to leave this hard work in such capable hands, freeing up its own resources for other aspects of its business in the region that do not require such local expertise.

Medula Eyeing U.S. Hispanic Market

On top of its impressive performance in Latin America, Medula has also a strong focus on the US-Hispanic market, and Alejandro Mondrzak, Corporate SVP & CEO of the Digital Business Unit at Grupo Clarin says that Microsoft is giving the company the scale that it needs to succeed in this venture.

Mondrzak asserts that Medula knows how different Latin American and US Hispanic markets are, and that there are practically two companies, one dedicated to each market. “The US-Hispanic market is truly a huge opportunity, and as much as it is different from Latin America, we have unique abilities and capabilities and a regional reach that we can adapt to the US market,” he says. “It’s a learning process with a curve, but we are doing our best to understand it.”

Microsoft Properties Offer High Visibility, Flexibility

In terms of specific properties, “MSN is seeing a strong level of engagement with the content experience, and Skype is hugely relevant in the communications space. We want to make more native advertising opportunities there to immerse people in advertising while they are reading content,” Andrew says. Bing is also a key property, as search has become “so ubiquitous throughout the user experience, evolving from allowing you to find information to enabling you to take action and gain knowledge at the same time,” says Andrews. Search is also very profitable, and serves as a platform through which many applications can be integrated.

Companies like Microsoft are ultimately looking for “the best in breed, with local insight and knowledge and excellent sales people,” Andrews explains. “Medula shows and demonstrate the values that are important to Microsoft. We invest in these partnerships and hold them to high quality. Medula is adapting and learning to reinvent their business as programmatic grows as a way of buying, because we need to capture the traditional reserve demand as well as programmatic.”

About Portada

Portada, www.portada-online.com, is the leading source of news and analysis on the Latin Marketing and Media space. We offer world-class news and intelligence through audited online, print and conference vehicles to highly targeted audiences. Portada’s mission is to help professionals in Business and Media understand and reach Hispanic consumers in the U.S. Credibility is our biggest asset: The Portada team is very passionate about producing high-quality independent content that helps drive forward the Latin Marketing and Media space.

CONTACT: Kelley Eberhardt, [email protected]

Peak Hurricane Season Is Here; Don’t Delay Reviewing Insurance Coverage

August 30, 2016

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Summer may be winding down, but historically, the worst part of hurricane season is just beginning. Fortunately, there are simple steps that you can take to protect your wallet, your property and even your life, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Video – https://youtu.be/bJylB2JAlBI

September is the most common month for hurricanes making landfall in the U.S., followed by August and October, according to an analysis of weather data ranging from 1851 to 2011 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“Eight of the most catastrophic and costly hurricanes in the United States occurred in September and October,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and chief communications officer at the I.I.I. The other two both occurred at the very end of August, she noted.

These five actions can help you stay ready for whatever the remainder of hurricane season has in store.

Review Your Insurance Coverage: Homeowners insurance provides financial protection against disasters. It insures the home itself and the things you keep in it. Because homes get upgrades and possessions get added and replaced, your insurance must reflect these ever-changing improvements. Make sure you understand what is covered and what is not covered. You need to have enough insurance to rebuild your home and replace all of your personal belongings. Contact your insurance professional and ask questions. Understand your deductibles. If you have a hurricane or windstorm deductible, make sure you understand how it works.
“The time to review your insurance is before you need to file a claim,” said Salvatore. “You don’t want to find out after a disaster that you could have purchased additional coverage. For instance, many people should consider adding coverage for backup of sewers and drains or law and ordinance, which would pay to rebuild your home to current and more stringent building code standards.
Consider Flood Insurance: A standard homeowners insurance policy does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is not only for those living in high-risk flood zones. More than 20 percent of flood insurance claims are paid to those living in low- to moderate-risk flood zones. While hurricanes do bring catastrophic flooding, rain can, too. As the current disastrous flooding in Louisiana demonstrates, heavy rain might also result in destructive and deadly flooding.

Flood insurance is available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or from a private insurance company. Excess flood insurance may also be obtained from private insurance companies if more coverage is needed than the limits available from the NFIP.
Conduct a Home Inventory: If a hurricane or tropical storm strikes your home, insurance companies may ask for an itemized list of what was damaged or destroyed. An up-to-date home inventory will make it much easier to file a claim. This also helps you purchase the right amount of coverage, and the documentation also may be required if you need to apply for aid after a disaster. The I.I.I. has a free home inventory app, available at https://KnowYourStuff.org/.
Make Your Home More Disaster Resistant. The Insurance Information Institute for Business and Home Safety has information on things you can do to strengthen your home against a hurricane or other disaster.
Know Where You Will Go and What You Need to Take If You Have to Evacuate. Advanced planning can make things much easier if you need to leave your home. This is especially important if you have children, pets, elderly relatives or anyone with special needs. The I.I.I. has KnowYour Plan software and other resources to help keep you safe.

It’s always a good time of year to talk to your insurance provider. Now may be the best of times, considering that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) revised its 2016 Atlantic hurricane outlook, calling for the higher likelihood of a near-normal or above-normal season.

The I.I.I. has a full library of educational videos on its YouTube channel. Information about I.I.I. mobile apps can be found here.

THE I.I.I. IS A NONPROFIT COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

Insurance Information Institute, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038; (212) 346-5500; www.iii.org

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Ismael Cala films a series in Puerto Rico, on its history and culture

August 30, 2016

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Inspirational author, lecturer and communicator Ismael Cala is in Puerto Rico to film the series “Ismael Cala en Puerto Rico,” his first television project after finishing his work with CNN en Español.

Puerto Rico will be the setting of several projects in which Cala will make the island’s potential known.

“Ismael Cala en Puerto Rico” is a series that will consist of five 1 hour episodes. It will be broadcasted in Latin America, the United States and locally. The series aims to highlight the history, culture and attributes of the country through interviews with personalities who have made a lasting impact from the island of enchantment to the world. The interviewees will include artists, actors, designers, athletes, writers, historians and businessmen.

The filming will take place at locations of symbolic and tourist interest such as El Yunque, Luquillo, Viejo San Juan, Ponce, museums, and others such as Vieques and Culebra.

“I am very excited about my return to Puerto Rico for this project, which is the first of many that will mark this new phase in my working life,” Ismael Cala remarked. “This program will be a great opportunity to make known the wide range of things that this island has to offer, and especially, to be able to work with a production whose talent is 100% boricua,” he added.

Among the personalities he will be interviewing are Mayra Santos-Febres, Nick Quijano, Antonio Martorell, Pablo Rubio, Santiago Villar, the Cortes y Serralles family, Ednita Nazario, Nidia Caro, Chayanne, Jose Feliciano, Victor Manuelle, Lucecita Benitez, Yolandita Monge, Andy Montañez, Siete, Tito “El Bambino,” Gilberto Santa Rosa, Rafael Ithier, Danny Rivera, Stella Nolasco, Modesto Lacen, Jacobo Morales, Carlos Delgado and Monica Puig.

ABOUT ISMAEL CALA

Ismael Cala is an inspirational author, lecturer and communicator. For more than five years he was host of the prime time interview show CALA on CNN en Español. He is currently an official contributor on the show Despierta América (‘Wake up America’) on Univisión network, and writes a weekly column for more than 50 publications in Latin America and the United States.

He is author of the bestsellers La vida es una piñata (‘Life is a piñata’) (2016), El analfabeto emocional (‘The emotional illiterate’) (2016), El poder de escuchar (‘The power of listening’) (2013), Un buen hijo de P (‘A real S.O.B.’) (2014), and El secreto del bambú (‘The secret of the bamboo’) (2015). Cala was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1969, and has a degree in Art History from Universidad de Oriente. He graduated from the School of Communication at York University in Toronto and has a degree from Seneca in Television Production.

(Español) No existe muro que detenga el paso de un buen taco

August 30, 2016

Sorry, this entry is only available in Español.

PTM Images And Thomas Kinkade Announce A Licensing Partnership

August 30, 2016

PTM Images(R), a leading manufacturer of home decor and furnishings, announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Art Brand Studios, LLC, the authorized licensor of renowned American Artist Thomas Kinkade, to design, manufacture and market an extensive home decor collection based on his artwork. "We are proud of this beautiful collaboration with Thomas Kinkade, one of the most admired American Artists", said Jonathan Bass, CEO of PTM Images. "Together we will create a unique collection that will express the wonder and light of Thomas Kinkade."

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — PTM Images®, a leading manufacturer of home décor and furnishings, announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Art Brand Studios, LLC, the authorized licensor of renowned American Artist Thomas Kinkade, to design, manufacture and market an extensive home décor collection based on his artwork.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160826/401904

The collection embodies the timeless art of Thomas Kinkade, the Painter of Light™, emphasizing the simple pleasures and inspirational messages his art represents, which is the perfect balance between faith and American Tradition.

“We are proud of this beautiful collaboration with Thomas Kinkade, one of the most admired American Artists,” said Jonathan Bass, CEO of PTM Images. “Together we will create a unique collection that will express the wonder and light of Thomas Kinkade.”

“The agreement with PTM Images has strategic growth value for the Thomas Kinkade brand. PTM Images is an ideal partner to develop an exciting quality line of open edition products targeted at new collectors. By creating this highly differentiated collection of open edition product for new markets, we will be able to expand brand awareness, cultivate new consumers and add value for our limited edition products and dealers. This will be the first time that a collection like this will be offered to retailers,” said James Lambert, VP Business Development & Creative, Art Brand Studios, LLC. “Thom’s dearest wish was always that his artwork would be a messenger of hope and inspiration to others, and this collection is an expansion of that dream.”

The Spring 2017 collection will launch mid-December 2016, with pre-presentations as early as October 2016 to select PTM’s customers including department stores, specialty accounts, as well as catalogue and online retailers.

About PTM Images:

Established in 1995, PTM Images focuses on hospitality and home décor, and owns the largest home décor production facility in North America. PTM operates a state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facility in Mexico, a distribution center in Arizona, and has corporate offices and a showroom in the Pacific Design Center, West Hollywood – the hub of trending art and design. Its manufacturing facility gives PTM an advantage to produce high quality products utilizing efficient turnaround timing and high quality materials. PTM’s cutting-edge U.S., French and Italian robotic machinery and dedicated team enable the company to manufacture high quality products for numerous hospitality clients, interior designers and high-end retailers around the world.

Lessons I Learned Working with Mother Teresa

August 30, 2016

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Sean Callahan remembers what it was like to work with Mother Teresa. “In those days my vocabulary consisted of two words, ‘Yes Mother, Yes Mother, Yes Mother,'” says the Chief Operations Officer for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Vice President of Caritas Internationalis.

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160829/402330

On September 4, 2016, Blessed Mother Teresa will become Saint Teresa of Kolkata. Callahan knew her when he was CRS’ East India Zonal Director in Kolkata (then called Calcutta) beginning in 1994. He continued a longstanding relationship between CRS and Mother Teresa that dated to a few years after she and her Missionaries of Charity began to bring care and love to people who were infirmed, poor, and dying in the early 1950s.

“She was very petite and spoke in a soft voice so I was always leaning into hear what she was saying,” says Callahan who has a photo of Mother Teresa, the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, on his desk at CRS headquarters in Baltimore. “Often, she would wrap her hands around your hands and hold you there while she spoke.”

When Callahan arrived in Kolkata there were 3 million people living on the streets, 1 million of them were children.

“The need for help in Kolkata was immense at that time,” says Callahan. “With so many people living on the streets, the desperation and sickness was everywhere. Mother started the Center for Dying because she couldn’t let the last moments of these peoples’ lives be lived alone.”

CRS’ began working in India in 1946 to help the local Church in Bombay provide food to people recovering from World War II. A decade later, Msgr. Alfred Schneider, then CRS’ director in India, heard of a nun serving the poor in Kolkata. He soon met Mother Teresa at an informal school CRS supported and visited her Home for the Dying set up in warehouses. Schneider then raised the money for Mother Teresa’s first ambulance and arranged for her to speak to a group of Catholic women in the United States, her first international publicity.

CRS was soon working with the Missionaries of Charity on child feeding programs and assistance to families in Calcutta. The relationship grew as the Missionaries of Charity became CRS’ largest partner in East India. Sisters were assigned to work with CRS.

“I remember one day showing up to a meeting with Mother Teresa and telling her about a man I had seen in the middle of the street who looked in real distress, without clothes and very frail,” Callahan says. “Her immediate reaction was to ask me where he was and what time I saw him so she could send the ambulance. Then she gave me a phone number and told me if I ever see anything like that again to call that number. That’s the way she worked and I was relieved to know I could get help for some of the people I often encountered in those days.

“Another time I received a call from Mother Teresa who had heard there was a flood in Bangladesh and asked if I could bring supplies in trucks because the sisters there were asking for them,” he recalls. “I explained that to do that would require special permissions from the governor of the state to take the food and emergency supplies across the border. She asked, ‘What do I need to do?’ and I told her she needed to get the permissions. ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘You get the trucks, I’ll get the permissions and we’ll meet in two hours.’

“So that’s what happened. She didn’t just send people out, she did the work herself. So sure enough, we crossed the border with our supplies and sisters from the Missionaries of Charity as passengers,” he says.

Illness forced Callahan to leave India in 1995. As he was arranging his departure, he told Mother Teresa and she said she wanted to visit him on an upcoming trip to the United States. Rearranging a carefully-planned itinerary, she came to CRS headquarters in May, 1996, the year before she died.

“We felt we were in the presence of a saint,” says Callahan. “She gave her life to helping people in their most difficult conditions and created a mission for religions and lay persons to follow in her footsteps.”

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media: Facebook, Twitter at @CatholicRelief, @CRSnews and @CRSnoticias, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

Multi-Media Resources for Journalist & editors:

Hi-res photo gallery of Mother Teresa with captions: http://photos.crs.org/callahanmotherteresa
Password to download: photos

Video interviews of CRS staff and partners who worked with Mother Teresa: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt5PsPjJAk-33y21kjcmWr3xUkkmObzU9

Online Tools:
CRS Online Media Center: crs.org/media-center
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Logo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160405/351601LOGO

Rafa Márquez, in Partnership with Nestlé Nesquik, Inspires Kids’ Dreams On The Soccer Field

August 30, 2016

Nestle Nesquik partners with Rafa Marquez, international soccer star and father of three, on a video to inspire kids to live out their greatest dreams.

GLENDALE, California, Aug. 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Rafa Márquez, captain of the Mexico National Team, partners with Nestlé Nesquik for a day of soccer play on a professional field in Guadalajara, Mexico to help local children realize their biggest soccer dreams. While creating a video to encourage kids to be the all-star of each game, Rafa inspired one child to fulfill his epic dream of becoming a goalie. The Nesquik soccer campaign is about nourishing possibilities and educating parents on the nutritional benefits of low fat chocolate milk after an intense game or practice. Studies suggest that low fat chocolate milk has the ideal 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, making Nesquik a smart postgame beverage to restore tired muscles. Watch the heartwarming video starring Rafa and aspiring little soccer athletes here: https://youtu.be/VKZJEYEeHR8

Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160826/401902
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKZJEYEeHR8&feature=youtu.be

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