Kelly Clarkson, Burnaby guitar co. helping B.C.’s homeless animals

December 11, 2009. For immediate release.

Pop star Kelly Clarkson and a Burnaby guitar company are music to the ears of B.C.'s homeless animals. Clarkson has penned her signature to a Prestige Heritage Standard guitar, which the Burnaby-based manufacturer is auctioning on eBay between Dec. 11 and 21, with all proceeds to the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Kelly is an animal lover, and we couldn't think of any more fitting organization to support than the BC SPCA, which rescues thousands of homeless, neglected and abused animals every year," said Mike Kurkdjian, president of Prestige Guitars Ltd. Prestige Guitars is the official guitar company of Clarkson guitarist Cory Churko, a Saskatchewan native. Clarkson, Churko and fellow band members Aben Eubanks, Jason Halbert, Einar Pedersen, Miles McPherson, Jill Pickering, Kate Rapier, Leif Shires, Chris Gregg, Justin Carpenter, Ric Robbins and Eric Hutchinson have also signed the guitar. As well as the guitar, the winning bidder in the online auction will get two commemorative "Meet & Greet" backstage passes, an autographed Kelly Clarkson 5" by 7" photograph and a variety of official guitar picks for a one-of-a-kind collector's kit.	Caption: This Prestige Heritage Standard guitar autographed by Kelly Clarkson and her band is being  auctioned on eBay Dec. 11 to 21 to benefit the BC SPCA.
"Since the night it was autographed, Nov. 18, 2009 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, the guitar has been sealed in its original hard case," said Kurkdjian. "It has never been displayed publicly or privately, and the only fingerprints on it are from Kelly Clarkson and her band." Clarkson won the 2002 inaugural season of American Idol, and with a debut multi-platinum album has had the most post-Idol success of any other contestant. She has even earned frequent kudos from infamously fickle Idol judge Simon Cowell, who compared her to big-voiced greats like Celine Dion. "We're absolutely thrilled to have Kelly's support," said the BC SPCA's Denise Meade, adding "imagine the delight on someone's face ripping open a gift-wrapped Kelly Clarkson-signed guitar for Christmas." For more information, visit the Prestige Guitars website.

For more information:

Denise Meade, BC SPCA senior manager of special events, 778-331-2186

Mike Kurkdjian, president, Prestige Guitars, 604-298-8111

Corry Anderson-Fennell, BC SPCA communications officer, 604-647-6402

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.