The media are invited to join First Gentleman Dan Mulhern at the sneak preview of the John Hancock All-Star FanFest. This interactive fan experience is the leadoff event for Major League Baseball All-Star Week in Detroit. Mulhern and Detroit's First Lady Carlita Kilpatrick will participate in special presentations to youth organizations Mentor Michigan and Mayor's Time. Prior to the All-Star FanFest, children from Mentor Michigan -- a special project of Governor Granholm and First Gentleman Mulhern -- and Mayor's Time will participate in the Roberto Clemente Life Skills Workshop conducted by John Hancock Financial Services representatives.

  WHEN:    Friday, June 17, 2005 at 11:00 a.m.

  WHERE:   Cobo Center Room 02-33-44
           (Located on the second floor above Joe Louis statue)
           Detroit, Michigan

  WHO:
  *  First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern
  *  Bob DuPuy, President and CEO, Major League Baseball
  *  James D. Gallagher, Senior Vice President John Hancock
  *  Carlita Kilpatrick, First Lady, City of Detroit
  *  Tigers' Hall of Famer and current Tigers Player and All-Star

About Mentor Michigan - Governor Granholm and First Gentleman have undertaken an enormous effort called Mentor Michigan that works to ensure that all of Michigan's children have the same opportunity to be influenced and taught by a caring adult. The Governor initiated Mentor Michigan while she was the State's Attorney General. The program is designed to support mentoring organizations that match caring adults with young people; both Mr. Mulhern and Governor Granholm are matched with young people through the Capital Area Big Brothers Big Sisters.

About All-Star FanFest - Now in its 15th year, John Hancock All-Star FanFest is the largest baseball fan event in the nation and provides a chance for families and fans of all ages to experience the thrills, excitement, and rich history of baseball. The Official Spokesmen for John Hancock All-Star FanFest -- a Tigers legend and a current Tigers All-Star -- will be announced and make their first public appearances on behalf of John Hancock All-Star FanFest during the Sneak Preview.

About Mayor's Time, Inc. - Recognizing the importance of after-school programs in the development of children, Mayor Kilpatrick created Mayor's Time, a non-profit organization funded through a matching grant by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as part of the Urban Health Initiative to address health and safety issues of youth in Metropolitan Detroit. Mayor's Time informs and educates the community about the importance of after-school programs; builds and maintains partnerships with after-school program

providers and organizations; helps expand existing after-school programs; and creates new opportunities for programming where needed.

About the Roberto Clement Life Skills Workshop - John Hancock Financial Services will conduct a workshop on Friday, June 17 from 9-11 a.m. at the COBO Conference/Exhibition Center in Detroit, Michigan for approximately 50 students from Mentor Michigan and Mayor's Time. The workshop will teach the children about the life, career and values of the late baseball great Roberto Clemente. During the workshop, the children will have an opportunity to watch a Major League Baseball video on his life as a remarkable baseball player and humanitarian and will also include interactive exercises.

CONTACT: Mary Grill, Director of Communications of Michigan Community Service Commission, +1-517-335-7875, grillm@michigan.gov .

PRNewswire -- June 15

Source: Michigan Community Service Commission

Web site: http://www.michigan.gov/mcsc