Online Auction To Raise Support for Orphans, Widows Starts Today, Features Memorabilia from Alan Jackson, Boomer Esiason, Brooks and Dunn, Nolan Ryan, Kenny Chesney, More!

Nashville, TN (June 8, 2007): Earlier today, platinum selling, award-winning Word Records recording artist, Mark Schultz, took time out from his Across America benefit bike ride to be the special guest at the Klicks for Kids photo exhibit that features the artwork of 67 Kansas children currently waiting to be adopted. Hosted by the agency from where Mark was adopted as a child, The Kansas Children’s Service League, the event was held at the Meadowbrook Mall in Pittsburg, KS.

“Meeting these children, especially at this halfway point in the trip, was an amazing and tangible source of motivation and continued encouragement for me,” says Schultz. “Just seeing the faces of these kids, their personalities and their amazing gifts, is inspiring. I encourage those that are thinking about becoming a foster family and those that are thinking about becoming a forever family for one of these children, and children like these, to take a leap of faith and make a lifetime of difference for these kids.”

Continuing his bike ride to benefit orphans and widows, Schultz will make a stop in Kansas City, MO to complete a live via satellite interview on CNN Sunday Morning. Mark will discuss his Across America benefit

Continuing his bike ride to benefit orphans and widows, Schultz will make a stop in Kansas City, MO to complete a live via satellite interview on CNN Sunday Morning. Mark will discuss his Across America benefit ride, as well as his hopes and goals he aspires to accomplish through this cross-country journey. The interview is scheduled to run on CNN Sunday, June 10 at or near 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

In addition to the nearly $80,000 raised thus far through Mark’s bicycle trip across America, Schultz and the Family Christian Stores James Fund are partnering together to raise more support for widows and orphans through an online auction. Items up for bid include a Nolan Ryan autographed baseball, four different guitars signed by Alan Jackson, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Brooks and Dunn, and Kenny Chesney, as well as many more autographed items from athletes and celebrities. The proceeds from the auction will go directly to support hands on work with orphans in the US and abroad, adoption assistance for families bringing orphans home to a forever family, and for quality of life improvement for widows who are in distress. To make a bid on an item visit http://markacrossamerica.org/auction.php.

On his way from California to New Hampshire, Schultz is posting daily video blogs documenting his Across America journey, as well as completing a daily 60-second update from the road that is being offered to radio stations across the country through Westar Media Group. To date, over 100 stations are using the updates to inform their listeners.

Schultz is also stopping along the way to perform concerts featuring music from his acclaimed, best-selling album, Broken & Beautiful (Word Records). More information about the Across America ride, including tour dates, how to sponsor Mark, video blog updates, and Mark’s progress can be found at www.markacrossamerica.org.

For additional information on Mark Schultz, visit www.markschultzmusic.com or www.wordlabelgroup.com.

The Kansas Children’s Service League (the League) is a statewide not-for-profit agency with over 100 years of experience protecting children and strengthening families in Kansas. The League serves over 40,000 children and their families each year through a variety of community based and child abuse prevention programs, Head Start and Early Head Start services, agency infant adoption, adoption services through its contract with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and foster home services. The League’s mission is to protect and promote the well being of children.

Word Records is a part of Word Label Group, a division of Word Entertainment, a Warner/Curb Company. The artist roster heralds some of today's top Christian music performers and songwriters including Amy Grant, Point Of Grace, Mark Schultz, Building 429, Nicole C. Mullen and Stellar Kart. The Word Label Group leads the industry with over 50 years of music-making history.