CONTACT:

Madeline Bergman, Development Assistant

215-629-5003 x106

[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GREGORY J. OSBERG TO BE CROWNED KING
OF MARDI GRAS GALA

Publisher and CEO of Philadelphia Media Network Inc., Gregory J. Osberg to be honored local non-profit’s annual Mardi Gras Gala


PHILADELPHIA—December 20, 2011– Gregory J. Osberg, Publisher and CEO of Philadelphia Media Network, Inc. will be crowned King of the 5th Annual Mardi Gras Gala on Friday, February 10th, 2012. The Gala honors a Philadelphia leader for their commitment to those living with epilepsy/seizure disorder. The black-tie fundraiser with N’awlins flair of beads, masks and hurricanes benefits the Epilepsy Foundation Eastern Pennsylvania.

The festivities take place at the Crystal Tea Room in Center City, Philadelphia. The night begins with a cocktail reception at 7:00 pm, followed by Osberg’s coronation at 8:00 pm. In addition to honoring Osberg, the Foundation will also be awarding Barbara Beck, pediatric nurse practitioner in the Neurology department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Jeanne LeBuhn of Devon, PA for their dedication and work with the Foundation. The evening will also host the premier of an educational and promotional video “Faces of Epilepsy”. After the program and dinner, Tribeca Grand Band will provide lively music for a night full of dancing and fun.

Osberg will be joining the court of past kings, Ted McCormick, Vice President of Patient Services, University of Pennsylvania Health System; Stephen Wouch, CPA, CFF, Managing Partner of Wouch, Maloney & Co., LLP; and Ted Riss, owner of Riss General Construction, LLC and Dr. Mike Cirgigliano, Fox 29 News Medical Correspondent and owner of The Clinical Practices of Michael D. Cirigliano. Together the five kings will “laissez les bons temps rouler…”

About Gregory J. Osberg
Gregory J. Osberg is the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer for Philadelphia Media Network (PMN), Inc., which owns The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Sportsweek and Philly.com. Prior to joining PMN, Osberg served as President and CEO of Buzzwire, a mobile media company specializing in video content. Osberg has spent 30 years in the magazine and Internet publishing business, including leadership positions with The Washington Post Company (Newsweek), CNET, and U.S. News and World Report.

About EFEPA
The EFEPA is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) voluntary health organization dedicated to meeting the non medical needs of those with epilepsy. Through its innovative programs and services – public education, information, referral, employment training, advocacy, summer camp, community education events, seminars and workshops- the EFEPA endeavors improve the quality of life for persons with epilepsy/seizure disorder and to dispel the myths, stigma and misunderstandings associated with it. For more information, please visit www.efepa.org.

EFEPA 2012 Mardi Gras Facts

WHAT:           Mardi Gras Gala to support the Epilepsy Foundation Eastern PA

WHERE:         Crystal Tea Room
100 E Penn Square, 9th Floor

WHEN:           Friday, February 10, 2011, 7:00 pm – 12:00 am

WHO:              Coronation of Gregory J. Osberg as the 2012 Mardi Gras King
Publisher and CEP, Philadelphia Media Network, Inc.

WHY:             All proceeds benefit the Epilepsy Foundation Eastern PA to continue their goal of meeting the non-medical needs associated with epilepsy. This year, the EFEPA is launching a First Responders Training, a class specifically designed for educating EMTs and police officers on seizure recognition and proper first-aid for all seizure types. Individuals with epilepsy and their caregivers put their health and safety in the hands of our emergency personnel and assume that they are appropriately trained. In emergency personnel’s current curriculum, only convulsive, tonic-clonic seizures are discussed; not the wide range of seizure types and the after-affects. The Foundation is working with EMTs, police officers, or other first responders, to better inform them about epilepsy.

###