INDIANAPOLIS, Jul 2, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ --Photographic Exhibit Inspired By Photographer Tom Casalini's Ordinary Heroes Book
Simon Property
Group (NYSE: SPG), the nation's largest owner and manager of shopping malls, has
created an original, multi-faceted program entitled "Ordinary Heroes." This
national program will celebrate the extraordinary accomplishments of
Congressional Medal of Honor recipients through a traveling photographic
exhibit, commissioned by Simon Property Group and created by award-winning
photographer Tom Casalini, and through a national essay contest.
The museum-quality exhibit is a three-dimensional interactive display featuring
images and written excerpts that bring to life the experiences of 48
Congressional Medal of Honor recipients chronicled in the photographic essay
book, Ordinary Heroes, conceived, photographed and published by Casalini. The
Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an
enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed
Services of the United States.
The exhibit will open on Independence Day, July 4, 2002 at Lenox Square Mall in
Atlanta, Ga., travel to nine Simon malls across the country, stopping for a
ten-day period at each mall and conclude with the Indianapolis Veteran's Day
celebration on November 11, 2002. On each stop of the tour, community members
will have the opportunity to meet one of the Congressional Medal of Honor
recipients and Casalini. The exhibit will be in a centrally located area within
each mall, inviting shoppers and community members to come together to
experience this original work.
"Community involvement is an important cornerstone to Simon's philosophy. By
commissioning this exhibit, we want to showcase these seemingly ordinary
individuals who accomplished extraordinary feats and gave of themselves to
defend our country," said John Neutzling, executive vice president of property
management, Simon Property Group. "We hope this exhibit will touch our customers
and our communities and inspire them to recognize the 'ordinary heroes' in their
own lives."
To find local "Ordinary Heroes," Simon Property Group will sponsor a national
essay competition. Shoppers are eligible to nominate the people in their lives
who have served as an inspiration or a role model. Nomination forms will be
available at participating Simon malls at the Simon Marketplace (customer
service center). A list of participating Simon malls is available at
www.shopsimon.com .
From July 2, 2002 through November 11, 2002, shoppers can submit their
nominations with a brief essay to a designated P.O. Box. Participating Simon
malls will each chose a local winner who will receive a $100 Simon mall gift
certificate. A national winner, which will be chosen by a panel of judges from
the pool of local winners, will be announced at the end of November. The
national winner will receive a $1,000 Simon mall gift certificate. Winning
essays will be posted to www.shopsimon.com .
"Words cannot describe what an amazing labor of love this book was for me," said
award-winning photographer and exhibit creator, Tom Casalini. "To work with
Simon Property Group and showcase Ordinary Heroes nationwide is not only an
honor for me but also an honor for all of the people this exhibit will touch and
who will now know the sacrifice the members of our armed forces made to ensure
that Americans can enjoy our many freedoms."
Shoppers who are interested in purchasing a copy of the Ordinary Heroes can do
so at participating Simon malls throughout the duration of the program. The cost
of the book is $20.
About the Congressional Medal of Honor
The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action
against an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the
Armed Services of the United States. The award is generally presented to its
recipient by the President of the United States of America in the name of
Congress. Introduced into legislation in 1861 the Medal of Honor bill was signed
into law by President Lincoln in 1862.
About Tom Casalini
Tom Casalini is a nationally recognized photographer of 30 years. His work has
become well known in the commercial advertising field where he has created
images for national clients such as Chevrolet Cars & Trucks, McDonalds, Timex,
Eli Lilly, John Deere, Life Magazine, Fannie Mae Mortgage and Schaffer Pens
Worldwide, among others. Casalini created and published Ordinary Heroes, a
photographic tribute about the recipients of the nation's highest honor for
valor -- The Congressional Medal of Honor. Casalini's work consistently receives
notable awards such as "The One Show," "Print," "Clios" and "Communication
Arts." Casalini resides in Carmel, Indiana, an Indianapolis suburb.
About Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG), headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana,
is a real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership and management of
income-producing properties, primarily regional malls and community shopping
centers. Through its subsidiary partnerships, it currently owns or has an
interest in 251 properties containing an aggregate of 187 million square feet of
gross leasable area in 36 states, as well as eight assets in Europe and Canada.
Additional Simon Property Group information is available at www.shopsimon.com
SOURCE Simon Property Group, Inc.
CONTACT:
Billie Scott of Simon Property Group, +1-317-263-7148; or
Kim
Metcalfe of Edelman Public Relations, +1-312-240-2743
URL: http://www.shopsimon.com
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