Eight Women Selected as 2006 ‘Stand On A Better Wo

Salem, NJ, October 16, 2006--From an 81-year-old retired lawyer saving destitute children in Nepal to a 20-year-old college student fighting to eliminate second-hand smoke in her community, the recipients of the 2006 “Stand On A Better World” Awards are a true inspiration to women everywhere who strive to make a difference in people’s lives. Established in 2005 by Mannington Mills, and now in its second year, the Stand On A Better World Awards (www.StandOnABetterWorld.com) recognize women who have enriched the lives of others and made a significant impact in their communities and the world at large. The awards are given in three categories: Social, Economic and Environmental. This year’s recipients include: Social Category Olga Murray – Sausalito, Calif. Founded the Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation (www.nyof.org) which benefits the lives of impoverished Nepalese children by providing life’s basic necessities Economic Category Dana Dakin – Wilmot, N.H. Founded WomensTrust (www.womenstrust.org), a grassroots non-profit that helps poor women and their families in Ghana, West Africa Environmental Category Ritu Primlani – Berkeley, Calif. Launched Thimmakka Certified Green Restaurants (www.thimmakka.org) helping first-generation ethnic business entrepreneurs to provide a “green-certified” way for restaurants to do business. Finalists Jenny Bowen – Berkeley, Calif. Jill Sheffield – New York, N.Y. Amy Jaffe Barzach – West Hartford, Conn. Debora Sponsel-Jolley – Albuquerque, N.M. Meghan Pasricha – Hockessin, Del. The recipient of the grand prize will be announced at the Stand On A Better World Awards ceremony in Philadelphia on Nov. 16 at the National Liberty Museum. All three top category winners will be honored at the ceremony. Winners were chosen by a judging panel that included: Leeza Gibbons – Television news journalist and host, radio personality, producer and businesswoman. Gibbons is founder of the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation, a non-profit that supports those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the search to find a cure. Dorothy Hamill – Figure-skating legend and Gold Medalist in the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. Hamill, who recently appeared on FOX-TV’s “Skating with Celebrities,” supports a number of charitable organizations, including the International Special Olympics and March of Dimes. Christine Todd Whitman – The first female governor of New Jersey. Served in the cabinet of President George W. Bush as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from January 2001 until June 2003. Deborah Bell – Grand-prize winner of the 2005 Stand On A Better World Awards; founder of Refuge International (www.refugeinternational.com), dedicated to improving the lives of people in Guatemala. Guests of honor will include three of the judges for this year’s awards -- Dorothy Hamill, Christine Todd Whitman and Deborah Bell -- who will present awards that evening. Also attending will be Keith Campbell, chairman of Mannington Mills, and Tom Davis, president and CEO. The 2006 winners receive: $25,000 grand prize, donated to the grand-prize winner’s chosen charity $10,000 to each of the two other winners, also to be donated to their selected charities $1,000 for each of the five finalists, awarded to their favorite charities In announcing this year’s awards, Davis says he hopes the awards program will continue to grow, recognizing and rewarding women making a difference and also inspiring others to do more. “We received over 500 nominations for the 2006 Stand On A Better World Awards, stories of women across the country who are helping to improve the lives of others in so many inspirational ways,” Davis said. “We congratulate this year’s winners not only for their awards but, more importantly, for their accomplishments and the impact they’re making.” Nomination forms and rules f