Pioneering Broadcaster Merri Dee Joins AARP Illinois Executive Council

Pioneering Broadcaster Merri Dee Joins AARP Illinois Executive Council

WGN Director of Community Relations, Community Activist Appointed to AARP State Leadership Team

CHICAGO, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, AARP Illinois announced the appointment of pioneering broadcaster and philanthropist Merri Dee to its State Executive Council. In this lead volunteer position Dee will be a member of the organization's seven-member leadership committee, helping to shape AARP's state agenda.

"Merri brings a strong background in communications, advocacy and charitable work to AARP Illinois' Executive Council," said Bob Gallo, State Director for AARP Illinois. "We're glad to welcome Merri to the AARP Illinois Executive Council, where our 1.8 million members will no doubt benefit from her experience, passion and dedication."

One of the first African-American women to anchor broadcast news in Illinois, Dee has also been a champion of charitable work, raising millions of dollars for several children's charities, spearheading crime victims' rights legislation, and helping increase adoption rates in the state.

"I'm looking forward to joining AARP's Executive Council in Illinois and press forward key issues such as affordable healthcare and consumer rights," Dee said. "AARP is an organization whose ideals and mission I believe in."

Dee has spent 41 years working in media and with not for profit organizations. Her work managing WGN-TV's Children Charities has helped to raise over $31 million to improve and enrich the lives of thousands of children and their families. A strong focus of her work with children has been towards raising awareness of the importance of adoptions.

An advocate for crime victims, Dee successfully lobbied the State's General Assembly for the passage of Illinois' first Victims Bill of Rights, the first of its kind in the United States.

Dee mixed her successful and influential career as a TV newscaster and talk radio host with her work as chairperson of the United Negro College Fund's Telethon, and host of the national Bud Billiken Parade for more than 25 years. Dee has won many national and local awards for her work in media and philanthropy.

AARP Illinois Executive Council works with the State Office to set strategic priorities and objectives. Executive Council members, which serve on a volunteer basis, are actively engaged and involved in the planned activities of the state office, and work with members, volunteers and other organizations throughout the state to help accomplish state and national initiatives. AARP Illinois' Executive Council currently has six members, appointed to two-year terms.

Source: AARP Illinois

CONTACT: David Irwin, +1-312-458-3621, or Gerardo Cardenas,
+1-312-458-3609, both of AARP Illinois

Web Site: http://www.aarp.org/

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