Girl, Interrupted star Winona Ryder has said little about last Friday's sentence after her recent shoplifting conviction – but she did reveal she's "thankful" for at least part of her punishment.
The Hollywood actress, whose sentence included three years' supervised probation, nearly $10,000 in fines and damages, drug and psychological counselling and 480 hours of community service, is "thankful that the judge has allowed the community service to enable her continued work with children." And in turn, say the charities, they're happy to have the star as a volunteer.
The Oscar nominee will be spending the initial three months of 2003 working with three not-for-profit groups, including Caring For Children And Families With AIDS. "We're going to do everything we can to treat her like all volunteers," said the programme's executive director Jacqueline Gelfand.
The remainder of the actress's community service involves 120 hours with the Foundation for the Junior Blind and 240 hours with The City Of Hope Medical Centre.
Ms Gelfand called having a celebrity volunteer "a good thing", while City Of Hope representative Anne McCune says the centre is "pleased to be the recipient of this opportunity". She adds: "When they come and get involved with the institution they find a real meaning… and it is meaningful to them as well as to us."
In November, Winona was found guilty of grand theft and vandalism for stealing $5,500 in items from a Beverly Hills department store.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
