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Christmas Cheer For Presley Place

November 25, 2007 | Other
For the ninth holiday season in a row, Arkansas businessman and philanthropist Jennings Osborne and his family will be coordinating with the staff of Graceland and Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) to follow the wonderful example that Elvis set by providing Christmas cheer and joy to his fans and the needy. The Osbornes have provided holiday lighting to many properties around the country through the years and for the past eight years have brought elaborate displays to the visitor center across the street from Graceland as an annual gift to their fellow Elvis fans. This year, the Osbornes and the EPE staff, have focused their efforts on making it a special Christmas for the families of Presley Place and the other MIFA's Estival Communities locations in Memphis. The Osbornes and EPE feel certain that Elvis would approve.

The Osbornes will provide a special Christmas delivery to each one of the 88 families on the campuses of MIFA. They will also host a Christmas dinner for all MIFA residents and staff. At Presley Place there will be a touch of Osborne Christmas Lights on the front gates and and inside each unit all families will receive a 6 ft Elvis styled white Christmas tree with blue lights and ornaments and a gift of Osborne Christmas cheer in memory of Elvis.

Presley Place is a 12-unit apartment property, one of several such "campuses" that are part of the outstanding Estival Communities program created and managed by the Metropolitan Inter-faith Association (MIFA) in Memphis. The building of Presley Place was funded by The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which has also funded its ongoing operation. The foundation also funds the Elvis Presley Music Room, where the youngsters of Presley Place and all the other Estival campuses may enjoy access to musical instruments and instruction and participate in special related programs. MIFA's Estival Communities program provides qualifying homeless families up to one year of rent-free housing in the apartments on its various campuses and provides a comprehensive program of child day care, career and financial counseling, family management guidance and other tools to help them break the cycle of poverty and regain self-esteem and independence.
Source:EPE - Elvis Presley Enterprises
Elvisnites wrote on November 25, 2007
The Osborne's do an excellent job, God bless them.
vegaselvisfan wrote on November 25, 2007
the cartoon is abhorrent. elvis NEVER looked like that.
Elvisnites wrote on November 25, 2007
I was trying to ignore it. Whoever posted that picture with that article needs to be shot. Right down to Mickey Mouse on his belt.
Greg Nolan wrote on November 26, 2007
Will the cheerfully-distorted depictions and representations of '70s Elvis ever end? Sheesh. I forgot what the news was about - too distracted by that crap.
Mark S. wrote on November 26, 2007
I could be mistaken, but I think this is a cartoon of Jennings Osborne in a jumpsuit, not Elvis.
Sean Ryan wrote on November 26, 2007
Well if that is jennings osbourne in a jumpsuit he should be ashamed by mocking Elvis's image like that.I cant take the article seriously after seeing that picture.
JerryNodak wrote on November 26, 2007
99.9% percent of the people who see the article will look past the cartoon and read the WORDS, and applaud the good that is being done. Of course, then we have the Elvis FAN (atics) who can't get past the cartoon to read the article.
Pedro Nuno wrote on November 26, 2007
What a nice cartoon! They even put Mickey Mouse in the belt! TCBforall!!!!
Ruthie wrote on November 26, 2007
The Osburnes are doing a wonderful thing for a great charity. That is not Osbourne in an Elvis suit, just a bad cartoon. I understand how Sean feels because, most of the time, other groups and/or individuals seem to take great delight in promoting Elvis as horribly as possible. I am sure if Sean read the article he approves! Jerry, you should lighten up.
JerryNodak wrote on November 26, 2007
I'll lighten up when the FAN (atics) start looking past the cartoons and see the big picture, the article. Look at the responses. The majority deal with the cariciture of Elvis. If Elvis is seen in this light by many he has no one but himself to blame. He became a cariciture of himself during the last 2-3 years of his life.