05/30 JOAN LUNDEN, EDDIE LIN, REEVE CARNEY, HENRY WINKLER

JOAN LUNDEN - MEDICARE PART D PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Joan Lunden is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, motivational speaker, successful entrepreneur, and one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities. As host of Good Morning America for nearly two decades, Lunden reported from 26 countries, covered four presidents and five Olympics and kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families and themselves. A part of the sandwich generation, Lunden’s demographic spans from working mother of seven including two young sets of twins, ages 7 and 9; to caregiver to her 94 year-old mother, so she truly understands the stresses women face today.There are more than 31.5 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part D, Medicare’s prescription drug benefit program. A recent survey, commissioned by Walgreens, examined the behaviors and understanding of seniors currently enrolled in Medicare Part D. In addition to the complexities of health care reform, an aging population and a higher incidence of chronic disease, there’s a growing need to help those with Part D plans understand their benefits while managing health care expenditures. More than one-third of beneficiaries surveyed have daily concerns about their prescription drug costs and one in five say they’ve had to make sacrifices, such as delaying filling a prescription or skipping doses, to help manage medication costs.

Despite most beneficiaries (77 percent) surveyed saying they have a clear understanding of their plan benefits, only half knew that co-pays vary by pharmacy and that they can switch pharmacies at any time. In interviews on Thursday, May 30th, Joan Lunden, award-winning journalist, will discuss three easy steps that can help seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D save as much as 75 percent on prescription drug costs or potentially hundreds of dollars each year. Joan can also speak to her experience with elder care, and the topics that are the most challenging for seniors and their caregivers.


EDDIE LIN - DEEP END DINING - SANTA MONICA FESTIVAL

22nd Annual Santa Monica Festival happening on June 1. Eddie will be our MC for the Culinary Stage and is a knowledgable food writer who covers the LA dining scene. This event is free, and open to all ages and interests.

Two major themes for the day are budget and sustainability with local chefs and culinary experts sharing their secrets to sourcing and preparing meals that are delicious, budget-friendly, and sustainable. The Santa Monica Farmers' Market is providing seasonal produce for the culinary competition--creating a “$15 Meal for Four.” Chef Clemence Gosset of the Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories will start the day with a decadent dessert demonstration, followed by Ricky Flores of Co-Opportunity, who will demonstrate how to prepare his signature Co-op kale salad. This year’s Chef Challenge features Chef Josie Le Balch of Josie Restaurant and returning champion Chef Nyesha Arrington of Wilshire Restaurant. Their task is to create a delicious and nutritious vegetarian dish that feeds four for $15 or less. Lastly, kids can join in the fun with Kid’s Kitchen with Kelly Dumke where they can participate in several nutrition-related presentations. Kids can also test their culinary skills during a kitchen tool quiz and simple recipe preparations.


REEVE CARNEY - SPIDER MAN - TURN OFF THE DARK

REEVE CARNEY (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) has been starring as the title character in the smash hit Broadway production SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark since it began performances more than two years ago. At the age of 8, he recorded an album with Peter, Paul and Mary and a few years later he was contacted by Michael Jackson to sing on one of the tracks of HIStory. In 1997, when his mother could no longer afford guitar lessons, she brought him to an old Los Angeles blues club where he started to play weekly with artists more than twice his age. Now with over a decade of live shows behind him, the experience is evident in his incredible stage presence and skillful handling of the guitar and piano. Reeve is the lead singer and lead guitarist of CARNEY, the up and coming rock band. In CARNEY, Reeve is accompanied by his brother Zane who shares lead guitar in the band, Aiden Moore on bass, and Jon Epcar on the drums. CARNEY’S first full length album, entitled Mr. Green, was release in May 2010 on Interscope Records. For more information on CARNEY, please visit www.CarneyTheBand.com. As an actor, Reeve’s credits include the young prince Ferdinand in Julie Taymor’s film adaptation of The Tempest and the film version of the acclaimed novel Snow Falling on Cedars. He can also be seen starring opposite Taylor Swift in her music video “I Knew You Were Trouble.”


HENRY WINKLER - STROKE AWARENESS

ACTOR HENRY WINKLER IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS MANY POPULAR ROLES ON TV.  THESE DAYS, YOU CAN FIND HIM IN BRAND NEW SEASONS OF SEVERAL TV SHOWS - ROYAL PAINS, CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL, AND ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

BUT HIS MOST PERSONAL ROLE – WAS SERVING AS HIS MOTHER’S CARETAKER AFTER SHE EXPERIENCED A STROKE AND SUFFERED FROM UPPER LIMB SPASTICITY.  HENRY WINKLER JOINS US NOW DURING NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLE OF HIS LIFE.