Love is in the Air: International Philanthropist Kicks Off Second Annual Love Letters Campaign for Valentine's Day 2006

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Twelve couples from around the United States and one devoted pair from London will be the guests of international businessman and philanthropist Henri Zimand for Valentine's Day, 2006, winning a three-day, two-night romantic interlude in New York City, highlighted by the second annual Parade of Lovers -- hundreds of couples treated to horse-drawn carriage rides around Central Park.

The event's sole purpose is to encourage couples to appreciate each other and occasionally write love letters to their partners, a practice Zimand and his late wife Anda made a habit of during their long and devoted marriage. When Anda succumbed to breast cancer in 2003, Zimand determined to invest his time and his fortune in the effort to remind those fortunate enough to have their loved ones to stand up and cheer.

Beginning December 1 and continuing through January 20, 2006 the Anda's Spirit website (www.AndaSpiritUSA.com) will again be the Love Letters Mail Drop. Last year more than 5,000 letters were sent in what was a regional project. This year Zimand is hoping to see at least 10,000 letters as he expands his outreach to include Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago, St. Louis, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles, as well as New York and London.

For each of the first 10,000 letters received, a donation will be made in Anda's name to a cancer research or treatment facility in the area in which the letter was written.

Zimand and a team of literary judges including The Romance Writers of America will read and choose the most moving letter from each city, and winners will be announced on January 30. Couples will be flown to New York on February 12th and will stay at in upscale midtown Manhattan hotels. After two whirlwind days in the Big Apple, they will gather in Central Park on Valentine's Day morning to start the traditional Day for Lovers with the most romantic of all transportation, a carriage ride.

Says Zimand of the event: "Other than the donation to cancer hospitals and research facilities, which of course has practical significance, this is a completely non-commercial effort. Like our websites, www.AndaSpiritUSA.com and the international www.AndaSpirit.com, our objective is simply to promote love, strength and hope. Because as Anda and I knew, love is always the most important thing and we are reminded of that every Valentine's Day. The Love Letters Campaign is here to encourage us to express our love to our dear ones, and with every letter that comes in, I remember my Anda."

The Love Letters Campaign, valued at over $250,000, is funded entirely by Zimand, who personally chose the project in order to spread the message that love and kindness are self-fulfilling and that this is true at the most individual level as well -- one charitable act by one person has the potential to change the world.

In addition to the couples from outside New York, lovers in the area are urged to write and mail their missives to www.AndaSpiritUSA.com. Writers of the first 500 letters sent to the website will receive coupons for free Central Park carriage rides, which can be reserved from February 11th through February 14th.

Source: AndaSpiritUSA.com
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ --

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas