Carol Burnett Will Be Recognized as 'Champion of Children' at 2017 Colleagues Luncheon

The 29th Annual Colleagues Spring Luncheon and Oscar de la Renta will present award-winning actress and best-selling author Carol Burnett with The Colleagues Champion of Children Award, which honors those who have made a lasting impact on the lives of children. The award will be presented by Amy Poehler who is executive producing Burnett's ABC pilot Household Name.

The Colleagues will also honor Alain Bernard, CEO World Wide of Van Cleef & Arpels, with a special award. Mary Hart will be the Master of Ceremonies at the luncheon which benefits the Children's Institute, Inc (CII).

Sponsored by iconic jeweler Van Cleef & Arpels, the luncheon will take place at 11:00 am on Wednesday, May 3rd at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and will include a fashion show from Oscar de la Renta's Fall 2017 collection, the debut of new co-creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia.

Burnett joins an impressive list of prior Champion of Children Award recipients including former First Ladies Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford and Laura Bush and her two daughters Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush-Hager, Roma Downey, Princess Charlene of Monaco, James and Gloria Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Anjelica Huston and Robert Graham, California First Lady Maria Shriver, Annette Bening and Warren Beatty.

Founded in 1950, The Colleagues, a 501c3 non-profit corporation, are a group of 65 active women and over 25 sustaining members who volunteer their time and expertise to support and raise funds for their sole beneficiary, the Children's Institute, Inc. In their efforts to serve Los Angeles' most vulnerable children harmed by community and family violence, abuse and neglect, the Colleagues have donated over $25 million to CII through their high-end resale and vintage clothing shop and their annual spring luncheon. In addition to direct services, CII reaches more children through professional training, research and other leadership activities working with more than 24,000 children and families each year. To learn more about the Colleagues and CII, visit www.thecolleagues.com and www.childrensinstitute.org.

Carol Burnett is widely recognized by the public and her peers for her work for her comedic and dramatic roles on television, film, and Broadway, most notably The Carol Burnett Show which ran for 11 years, and received 25 Emmy Awards, making it one of the most honored shows in television history. She has produced and starred in numerous television specials and her film credits include playing Miss Hannigan in the film version of the musical Annie, Noises Off, A Wedding, and Four Seasons. On Broadway, she recently starred in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters (2014.) Other credits include Fade Out, Fade In, Putting it Together and Moon Over Buffalo. As a highly acclaimed actress, Ms. Burnett has been honored with many awards including Emmys, Golden Globes and People's Choice Awards. She received the SAG Award for Lifetime Achievement, Kennedy Center Honoree, Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for Humor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ms. Burnett just completed the ABC pilot "Household Name," executive produced by Amy Poehler and is in development on a theatrical project originated by her late daughter, Carrie, entitled Sunrise in Memphis.

Oscar de la Renta is one of the world's leading luxury goods brands. The New York based house, established in 1965 by its namesake, and currently under the creative direction of Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, produces a full line of women's shoes, handbags, jewelry, eyewear, bridal, childrenswear, home décor and fragrance, in addition to its signature women's ready-to-wear collection.

Mary Hart hosted Entertainment Tonight for nearly 30 years. Her reporting for the show included interviewing nearly every major motion picture, television and music star of the last 30 years. During the 2008 Presidential campaign Mary was the only entertainment journalist to interview all of the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates. Mary has received many awards over her career and most recently was honored with the Life Time Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Mary sits on the board for both National Geographic and Simon Wiesenthal's Museum of Tolerance based in Los Angeles.

The luncheon is executive produced by Gary L. Pudney, and produced and directed by Scott H. Mauro for the fourth consecutive year. Colleagues member Anne Johnson is the Executive Chairman of the event. For tickets to The Colleagues Spring Luncheon, call 310-474-5377 or email annetopaz@aol.com.