An award with meaning. Marie Osmond has collected plenty of trophies throughout her career, but her latest isn’t in recognition of her formidable career — it’s all about her activism.
The Unexpected singer, 62, received the Paul Eppinger Award at the Golden Rule Awards Banquet in Mesa, Arizona, on Thursday, April 7. The event is sponsored by the Arizona Interfaith Movement, which aims to encourage support and tolerance of diverse religions around the world. The organization emphasizes the importance of the Golden Rule, which they believe is a central tenet of most major faiths.
“I’m so humbled and honored to be receiving the Paul Eppinger Award from the Arizona Interfaith Movement,” the women’s health and wellness advocate tweeted on Wednesday, April 6, ahead of the ceremony. “I can’t wait to see you all tomorrow.”
The award is named after the late Paul Eppinger, an interfaith leader who led a campaign in Arizona for the state to recognize a holiday for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Arizona Interfaith Movement chose Osmond as an honoree for her work as “a global interfaith champion” who has “exemplified the Golden Rule through concerts and events in Idaho and Hawaii to promote interfaith understanding.”
In an interview with AZTV, the Behind the Smile author said she feels that understanding and empathy are important. “I think more than ever we need each other,” she explained last month. “We need to come together and be united. This has really touched me to be honored. From the time I was little, I always believed that people should have the freedom to worship as they want. That’s part of our great country, and to have that respect for one another. We can learn so much from each other, can’t we?”
In addition to promoting religious acceptance, Osmond is a tireless advocate for the Children’s Miracle Network, a nonprofit organization that raises money for children’s hospitals across the United States and Canada. Since the CMA Award winner cofounded the group in 1983, it has raised more than $7 billion for children’s facilities.
“I believe in bringing people together, communities together,” the Dancing With the Stars alum told AZTV of her work with CMN. “People loving each other.”
While the Utah native stays busy juggling her career, philanthropy and family, she still manages to find time for self-care. For Osmond, that means eating healthy after losing 50 pounds and keeping it off for 15 years with help from Nutrisystem.
“I don’t let myself get more than five pounds overweight, usually around holidays or something like that,” she told Closer earlier this year. “You know, I’ll eat a little extra. One week it’s off, and you know, you’re back to your game, and you feel great about yourself.”
