"Empty Seat" benefits NCMEC

"Empty Seat" benefits NCMEC
Press Release CARMEN MARC VALVO AND COSENTINO MAKE A FASHION STATEMENT WITH "THE EMPTY SEAT" TO BENEFIT NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN Cosentino Unveils Limited Edition Silestone Diamond Quartz at Carmen Marc Valvo’s Spring Show during Fashion Week Alexandria, VA, September 13, 2006 - Today as models sashay down the runway at Carmen Marc Valvo’s show during New York’s 7th on Sixth Fashion Week, the most coveted seat in the house will be empty. Symbolizing all missing children, the “Empty Seat” will remain vacant during the entire show as part of an effort between Carmen Marc Valvo and global natural stone giant Cosentino ™ to raise awareness and funds for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). “I have always tried to give back to the communities that have supported me over the years, but there are so many worthy organizations that need and deserve more attention from our society,” said Carmen Marc Valvo, “This year, I am leaving one front row seat empty to put the real focus on who isn't at the show, instead of who is.” Partnering with Carmen Marc Valvo, Cosentino is contributing to the effort by creating a one-of-a kind gemstone surface: a Limited Edition Silestone Diamond Quartz. It features individually cut and intricately faceted diamonds throughout its surface. This is the only gemstone encrusted slab of its kind, and it will be auctioned off in December with proceeds benefiting NCMEC. At Valvo’s show, attendees will get a first glance of this unique stone. “Carmen Marc Valvo’s show is the perfect backdrop to launch this unique and desirable countertop,” said Roberto Contreras, president and CEO of Cosentino North America. “We are honored to be a part of this movement to raise awareness and proceeds that will help protect our most vulnerable segment of society, our children.” According to the Department of Justice nearly 800,000 children go missing in a single year, amounting to more than 2,000 children each day. Though many of these children are recovered quickly, NCMEC receives new missing child cases daily. Seated beside the “Empty Seat” will be Ernie Allen, president and CEO of NCMEC and Soledad O’Brien, children’s advocate and anchor for CNN’s American Morning. “We are grateful to Carmen Marc Valvo and Cosentino for their generosity to our mission of helping to keep children safer,” said Ernie Allen. “By bringing our cause to the attention of the fashion industry and its enthusiasts they are opening new doors to bring more missing children home.” Carmen Marc Valvo’s show will be at 3:00 PM today and will take place in The Tent at Bryant Park. About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 401,200 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 122,600 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 104,900 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24 hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com. About Cosentino® Cosentino, global natural stone giant, began close to a century ago to harvest precious stones from the finest quarries in Europe. Today, Cosentino has combined its commitment to providing the highest quality in natural quartz with a dedication to innovation and technology. This combination results in unequaled manufacturing capacity, a reliable network of dedicated distributors and fashion forward designs. Additional information about Cosentino may be found at www.cosentino.es. About Silestone® The leader in Quartz Surfaces, Silestone was created in Spain by Cosentino, global natural stone giant. Silestone combines sophisticated style with sophisticated functionality through its fashion forward color and texture offerings and its unique blend of physical attributes that make it a cleaner, safer surface. With a palette of more than 50 colors and 2 distinct textures, Silestone is the only countertop in the world to feature the unique combination of built-in Microban protection, NSF Certification, and GREENGUARD Certification. Silestone is available coast-to-coast in North America through a mature network of distributors, Certified Installers and more than 3,500 retailers in addition to being online at e-counters.com. Additional information about Silestone is available by calling 800-291-1311 or by visiting www.silestoneusa.com. CONTACT: Contact: Cosentino Monica Canales (281) 207-4424 Monicac@cosentinousa.com NCMEC Communications Department (703) 837-6111 http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/NewsEventServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=2786

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