ADVISORY/March of Dimes to Host 6th Annual ``A Salud De Los Ninos'' Awards Gala to Honor Extraordinary Leaders in the Latino Community.

Business, Lifestyle & Entertainment Editors

ADVISORY..for Thursday (Aug. 2)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:     Sixth Annual "A Salud De Los Ninos" Awards Gala. The event
          will honor four outstanding leaders in the Latino community,
          in the fields of health, business, education and
          entertainment, who have balanced their professional and
          community achievements with their efforts to help children
          and families in the community.

WHEN:     Thursday, Aug. 2, 2001
          5:30-6 p.m. -- Photo/interview opportunity
          6:30-8:30 p.m. -- Dinner & awards presentation
          8:30-11 p.m. -- Entertainment

WHERE:    Millennium Biltmore Hotel's Crystal Ballroom
          506 S. Grand Ave.
          Los Angeles, Calif. 90071

WHO:      Honorees:
          -- In health: Aliza Lifshitz, M.D., internist, Cedars-Sinai
             Medical Center
          -- In business: Amalia Gonzalez, program director, KRCD
             103.9 FM
          -- In education: Gregorio Luke, director of the Museum of
             Latin American Art
          -- In entertainment: Jose Hernandez, founder and director of
             Mariachi Sol De Mexico

          Executive Committee: Diane G. Medina, Chair, The Walt Disney
          Co.; Minnie Lopez-Baffo, co-chair, The Gas Co.-Sempra
          Energy; Gustavo Valdespino, co-chair, Tenet HealthSystem;
          Gisselle Acevedo-Franco, AT&T Broadband; Alita Bernal, Tenet
          HealthSystem; Imelda Cordero, Complete Communications Inc.;
          Blanca Goldman, Flowers by Blanca; Ramon Inclan, La Opinion;
          Bill Jenkins, Radio Unica; Martin Llorens, La Agencia de
          Orci; Chris Madero, Young's Market Co.; and Teresa
          Samaniego, KABC-TV

          Sponsors: The Walt Disney Co., Tenet HealthSystem,
          Automobile Club of Southern California, AT&T Broadband and
          Sempra Energy

WHY:      Constituting 45 percent of the state's population, Latinos
          have the largest number (more than 200,000) and highest
          percentage (47.5 percent) of births among California's
          ethnic groups. Studies show that Latinas are less likely to
          receive prenatal care, more likely to have no health
          coverage for themselves and their families, and are 40 to 50
          percent more likely to have babies with neural tube defects
          than non-Latinas.

          Proceeds from "A Salud De Los Ninos" help support March of
          Dimes programs such as Comenzando Bien and Proyecto Salud
          Latina, which directly serve Latinas and their families by
          educating and motivating them on the importance of receiving
          prenatal care and taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
          These actions greatly reduce the risk of neural tube defects
          and infant mortality.

RSVP:     Contact Anita Roark at 213/637-5058 or Irma Arvizu at
          213/637-5052.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies. The Southern California Chapter serves a population of more than 20 million people and has divisions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and the Inland Empire. More information is available on the March of Dimes Web sites at www.modimes.org and www.nacersano.org.