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Kristin Chenoweth & Wells Fargo Honored at Point Foundation's Los Angeles Benefit

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Point Foundation (Point), the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students (LGBT) of merit, today announced that it raised more than $300,000 at its third annualLos Angeles fundraising gala, entitle Point Honors. The amount raised came from corporate sponsorships, table and ticket sales, as well as items sold at the live and silent auction. The fundraiser's sponsors included, Presenting Sponsor Motorola, Inc.; Premier Sponsor PricewaterhouseCoopers; Principal Sponsors Showtime, Stiletto Entertainment and Washington Mutual; Media Sponsors Frontiers, Genre and INLos Angeles magazine; and Point Friends 10 Cane Run, Audi, Bud Light, Coca Cola, Evian, Full Throttle, Manilow wine and Sweet Pea's Custom Florals. Tony(R) Award-winning and Emmy(R) nominated actress Kristin Chenoweth received the Point Courage Award; Wells Fargo received the Point Inspiration Award. The event was held on September 13, 2008 at the Jim Henson Studios inLos Angeles.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071026/5501LOGO )

"We are extraordinarily encouraged by the financial results of our third annualLos Angeles benefit Point Honors," said Jorge Valencia, executive director and chief executive officer of Point Foundation. "By providing Point Scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions, our donors receive the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources in the academic and personal development of future generations of leaders."

During the course of the evening, Shelley Freeman, regional director of Wells Fargo, accepted the Point Inspiration Award on behalf of Wells Fargo and delivered a stirring and affecting address about the history of corporation and its commitment and celebration of diversity. Point Courage Award recipient Kristin Chenoweth delivered a teary eyed speech saying, "I've received awards for my talent, but it is not often that one can receive an award for their character. I am very honored to be here this evening and to receive the Point Courage Award."

Numerous celebrities attended Point Honors, including Mad Men's Bryan Batt, who also hosted the event, T. R. Knight (Grey's Anatomy), AnnaLynne McCord (90210), Ryan Eggold (90210), Camryn Manheim (Ghost Whisperer), Ellen Greene (Pushing Daisies), Judith Light (Ugly Betty), Tracie Thoms (Cold Case), Eric Millegan (Bones), Clementine Ford (The L Word), Darryl Stephens (Noah's Arc), Allan Louis (Privileged) and Christopher Rice (Author). During the benefit, Ellen Greene sang the lively and fun piece "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors, a song she had originally performed in the hit movie.

The Point Courage Award recognizes an individual who has advocated for the future of the LGBT community and lives with the vision that investing in today's potential will produce a brighter tomorrow. The Point Inspiration Award recognizes a corporation or organization that champions respect and inclusion of the LGBT community and operates with the vision that investing in today's potential will produce a brighter tomorrow.

Students who are awarded the organization's prestigious scholarships, known as Point Scholars, are selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process that requires a record of demonstrated academic excellence, leadership skills, community involvement and financial need. This year'sLos Angeles fundraising gala celebrated Point Scholars who are currently pursuing education in a diverse variety of fields. A number of these Point Scholars attended the benefit.

About Point Foundation

Point Foundation is the nation's largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students of merit. Point provides financial support, leadership training, mentoring and hope to LGBT individuals who are marginalized because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Point provides its scholars with the financial ability to attend the nation's foremost higher educational institutions, its mentors with the singular opportunity to become role models to exceptional students and its donors with the rare satisfaction of directly investing their resources in future generations of leaders.

For more information about Point Foundation, please visit www.pointfoundation.org. Point Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization.

SOURCE Point Foundation