Harrah's Honored with Social Award

LAS VEGAS – (Press Release) -- Harrah's Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: HET) has won a 2003 Crystal Obelisk Award from The Foundation of Women Executives in Public Relations for Harrah's public awareness campaign and support of the Meals On Wheels Association of America's (MOWAA) ''March For Meals' program.

The award recognizes agencies, corporations, foundations and not-for-profit organizations that address social issues through high-performance, cause-related communications campaigns.

Presented annually, The Foundation of WEPR's awards in social responsibility were the first and are the only public relations industry awards given solely for this practice. Harrah's was honored as an outstanding example of a corporate social responsibility campaign in the for-profit category.

In selecting Harrah's, the Foundation said, 'Combining entertainment savvy, generosity and public-relations insight, Harrah's recognized a social need, went into action and was able to increase dramatically the number of senior citizens receiving Meals on Wheels. The extensive media coverage and public awareness resulted in increased citizen and employee participation in the program as well as new financial support.'

Harrah's Entertainment believes companies can play a critical role in the fight against senior hunger, and has committed at least $1 million of support over three years to Meals On Wheels programs nationwide. Much of this funding was made through the donation of 18 new delivery vehicles. Since the campaign's inception in February 2002, Harrah's 25 casinos in 12 states have helped recruit volunteers and raise awareness within their local communities for Meals On Wheels programs and services. Last year, Harrah's nationwide efforts helped local Meals On Wheels programs deliver more than 512,000 additional meals to America's seniors.

'Corporate social responsibility has been a part of Harrah's culture and a central principle in the way we conduct our business for more than 66 years,' said Jan Jones, Harrah's senior vice president of communications and government relations. 'We're honored to be recognized for our work in assisting Meals On Wheels raise public awareness of the serious matter of seniors in need and are pleased to share this award with Meals On Wheels and all our employees who volunteer with the organization.'

Established in 1984 by Women Executives in Public Relations, a network of distinguished public relations professionals, the Foundation has as its mission the advancement of the public relations practice of social responsibility, coupled with its scholarship program. The Foundation of WEPR created the Crystal Obelisk for Social Responsibility competition to promote the role of strategic communications in raising awareness of and addressing social needs. Proceeds of the competition and the awards luncheon support the Foundation's educational initiatives and scholarships.