Public Television Friends Sweeping the Clouds Away for Kids in Gulf Coast Shelters, Schools

For Immediate Release on October 14, 2005

Sesame Street, Arthur, Between the Lions Dispatch Furry, Friendly Stars to Console Hurricane-Affected Gulf Coast Kids

Washington, D.C. -- To comfort children affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Sesame Street's Maria, Alan, and Papa Bear; Between the Lions' Leona; and the star of Arthur will be visiting youngsters in shelters and schools in Louisiana and Mississippi, Monday October 17 through Thursday, October 20.

As the first stop on a four-city Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)-funded good will educational tour, Baton Rouge will host the beloved public television characters on Monday as they reach out hands and paws to kids and gently encourage them to continue learning.

In addition to providing music, warmth, and humor, the characters will be distributing over 5,000 books from First Books as well as Caroline Kennedy's A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children, and Sonia Manzano's No Dogs Allowed from Simon and Schuster. PBS will also be providing activity books and DVDs for those schools and shelters that have currently have the technology to use the DVDs.

The tour will include the following stops in Louisiana and Mississippi:

Monday, October 17, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

9:30 a.m.: F.G. Clark Activity Center, Southern University Campus on Harding Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA

1:00 p.m.: Polk Elementary School, 408 E. Polk Street, Baton Rouge, LA

Tuesday, October 18, Lafayette, Louisiana

10:00 a.m.: Cajundome, 444 Cajundome, Blvd., Lafayette, LA

Wednesday, October 19, Long Beach, Mississippi

9:00 a.m.: Thomas L. Reeves Elementary School, 214 St. Augustine Drive, Long Beach, MS

12:45 p.m.: Harper McCaughan Elementary School, 111 Quarles Street, Long Beach, MS (Harper McCaughan Elem. School was completely destroyed and is sharing W. J. Quarles Elementary School's building. Harper McCaughan Elementary students attend from 12:30 -- 5:30 at this location.)

Thursday, October 20, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

8:30 a.m.: Oak Park Elementary School, 2230 Government Street, Ocean Springs, MS

9:30 a.m.: Magnolia Park Elementary School, 3500 Government Street, Ocean Springs, MS 39564

10:30 a.m.: Pecan Park Elementary School, 504 Hanley Road, Ocean Springs,MS

About CPB

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,300 locally-owned and -operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television and related online services.

CPB Media Room