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National

Celebs give it all they got

By JAY CRIDLIN
Published September 28, 2005

When NASCAR's Robby Gordon flung his helmet at fellow driver Michael Waltrip during the recent Sylvania 300, it made for a great SportsCenter highlight.

It also made for great charity work.

Gordon auctioned the helmet on eBay to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief, and he ended up bringing in a whopping $51,100. The auction followed a similar effort from fellow driver Tony Stewart, who raised $4,850 for the Red Cross by selling a race-worn uniform from the Sony HD 500.

Celebrities and ordinary folk alike have found unique ways to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief, in some cases literally donating the shirts off their backs. Here's a sampling:

Pay for play: A number of athletes have promised donations based on their performance on the field. The New York Giants' Tiki Barber promised $100 per yard and $500 per touchdown during last week's win over the Saints. (Barber "raised" only $8,800, but promised a minimum donation of $10,000.) Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had more success, pledging $50 per yard and $250 per touchdown against the Tennessee Titans, for a total of $11,400. The Washington Nationals' Jose Guillen pledged $1,000 per home run and $200 per run batted in. Serena Williams promised $100 per ace through the rest of the year.

Speaking of tennis: A host of top tennis stars donated items for an online auction that has raised more than $140,000. Lindsey Davenport's sneakers went for $1,259. Robby Ginepri's autographed shorts were $1,825. Serena Williams offered up a set of dangly, 355-diamond earrings that garnered $21,100. And an autographed racket used by Roger Federer to win the U.S. Open sold for $25,665. (www.tenniskatrina.com)

Used jockeys: Over the Labor Day weekend, jockeys at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club near San Diego raised money by sitting in dunk tanks. Charging just $10 for two throws, the jockeys raised $100,000.

Time is money: At eBay, you could bid on a half-hour phone call or meeting with noted venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki or Blair Witch Project director Ed Sanchez. An auction conceived by actor Morgan Freeman offered a host of celebrity meet-and-greets, including golf with Greg Norman, a barbecue at Kevin Smith's house, a walk-on role on Days of Our Lives, a tour of the ER set with cast member Lily Mariye and an appearance by Benji - the dog - at your birthday party.

Food-raiser: Oct. 5 would be a good night to eat out. On that day, the National Restaurant Association is sponsoring "Dine For America," a fundraiser in which restaurants nationwide, including 72 in Tampa and more than 1,000 across Florida, will donate part or all of their profits to hurricane relief. To find a participating restaurant, visit www.dineforamerica.org

Celebrity auctions: Freeman's auction included items ranging from a high-end Bentley from The Game to Dead Zone scripts signed by Anthony Michael Hall. The Clothes Off Our Back (www.ClothesOffOurBack.org) a celebrity fundraising site, has dozens of items benefitting hurricane relief, including William Shatner's Emmy shoes, Felicity Huffman's Emmy gown, and, for some reason, a bottle of nail polish autographed by Terry O'Quinn, a.k.a. Locke from Lost. American Idol fans, take note: Clay Aiken's Emmy tux, shoes and cufflinks were going for $27,000 Monday, while an autographed William Hung CD was holding steady at $30.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 16:23:02]