Harlequin Celebrates Volunteerism with 2016 Harlequin More Than Words Award

Harlequin will donate $15,000 to each recipient's charity.

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Jul 22, 2016, 12:55 ET

NEW YORK, July 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Harlequin announced the three recipients of the annual Harlequin More Than Words Awards. More than 16,000 votes were cast and three outstanding women were selected by popular vote to receive the 2016 awards. Chosen from five finalists, Sarah Zematis, Julie Reiss and Jodi Lemacks' commitment to giving back to their communities resonated with Harlequin readers, fans and authors.

"Each year we are impressed by the initiative and passion that so many amazing women are channeling back into their communities," said Loriana Sacilotto, EVP of Global Publishing. "We are thrilled to be celebrating the incredible work and dedication that Sarah, Julie and Jodi do for their respective charities."

Sarah Zematis, nominated by bestselling author Cara Lockwood, helps raise money for cancer research through St. Baldrick's Foundation, a private funder of pediatric cancer research based out of Monrovia, California; Julie Reiss, put forward by New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf, founded Research For The Kids, a nonprofit that raises money for pediatric cancer brain tumor research and heart defect research in Dubuque, Iowa; and Jodi Lemacks, nominated by Harlequin Medicals author Susan Carlisle, is national program director of Mended Little Hearts, an organization based in Dallas, Texas, that supports families of children with congenital heart defects.

Each recipient will receive a $15,000 donation to their respective charities and will be featured in a charity spotlight on Harlequin's blog at HarlequinBlog.com.

For more information about the winners and the Harlequin More Than Words program visit http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com.

The Harlequin More Than Words program is a philanthropic initiative that aims to raise awareness about worthy causes that are of concern to women and mobilize others to take action in their communities.

About Harlequin
Harlequin (Harlequin.com) is one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in as many as 34 languages and sold in up to 102 international markets. The company publishes more than 110 titles monthly and more than 1,300 authors from around the world. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second largest consumer book publisher, and has operations in 11 countries. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter: @HarlequinBooks.

Media Contact:
Melanie Dulos
Harlequin
416-391-7045
[email protected]

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SOURCE Harlequin