NEW ORLEANS – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is looking for extra-special Louisianians as its Angel Award recognition program enters its second decade. You can help find them if you know someone who has demonstrated extraordinary effort on behalf of children in the state.

Created in 1995, the Angel Award program has helped to identify and honor 75 outstanding individuals and given nearly $300,000 to charities on behalf of the finalists and overall winners. Past winners have come from all walks of life and ranged in age from 17 to 93. What they all had in common was their unselfish contribution of time and energy to improve the welfare of the children in their communities.

If you know someone who fits this description, nominate him or her for the 2005 Angel Award. The deadline for nominations is April 15, 2005.

You may nominate someone for work performed through churches, schools, civic organizations, or individual effort. Their volunteer work must have been performed in the state of Louisiana, with Louisiana children as the primary beneficiaries. The volunteer effort can be focused on enhancing any aspect of a child’s life, including physical, emotional, creative and spiritual. Individuals who are paid for their services are eligible, but their efforts must be considered to go above and beyond their job descriptions. Work done on work-release time and/or for student course credit may also be considered.

Nomination packets are available by calling toll-free 1-888-219-BLUE (1-888-219-2583) or e-mailing Angel.Award@bcbsla.com. Nominations also may be accepted online through the Angel Award website at www.AngelAward.org. Supplemental information in support of the nomination, including testimonial letters, brochures, news articles, photos and videos, are encouraged but cannot be returned.

An independent selection committee of children’s advocates will select finalists based on the following criteria:

€ NEED: Did the nominee contribute a needed service to Louisiana children?

€ ACTION: Was the nominee active, not just a figurehead?

€ INITIATIVE: Did the nominee initiate new programs or activities and use new methods to solve problems?

€ ACHIEVEMENT: Has the nominee accomplished desired results?

€ IMPACT: Has the activity or service provided by the nominee produced positive changes and provided examples for other groups?

€ TIME: Was the amount of time devoted to the activity or service significant?

€ CHALLENGE: Did the nominee have to overcome any unusual challenges, such as limited resources or public perceptions of the problems?

The finalists will be honored and the overall winner announced at an event held in the fall in New Orleans. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana will award grants to the honorees’ chosen charities that qualify as non-profit charitable organizations with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The winner’s charity will receive a grant of $25,000; finalists’ awards are $10,000 each.

For more information on the Angel Award, visit www.AngelAward.org. The website allows visitors to research information on hundreds of past Angel Award nominees, finalists and overall winners by name, year of nomination or geographical location.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is Louisiana-owned and -operated. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana also has district offices in Alexandria, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans and Shreveport.