Providence Marianwood Spring Celebration Luncheon 2012 May 3, 2012

Renowned local explorer and adventurer Helen Thayer, named by National Geographic Society as "One of the Great Explorers of the 20th Century," will be the keynote speaker at the Providence Marianwood 12th Annual Spring Celebration Luncheon on Thursday, May 3, 2012.

The first woman to circumnavigate the North Pole solo, Thayer, 74, will talk about how she has overcome obstacles and persevered through hard times. It is a message that will resonate with young and old alike.

In 2010 the Women's Center at the University of Washington honored Thayer as one of 100 Washington women who have broken barriers in a variety of fields. That same year Thayer was inducted into the Washington state and Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame.

John Curley, KIRO FM 97.3 evening talk radio host, will emcee the event.

The luncheon is the premier fundraiser for the elderly residents who call Providence Marianwood home.

Providence Marianwood, located in Issaquah, is the only non-profit rehabilitation and long-term healthcare provider in the Issaquah/Sammamish area. More than 60 percent of the long term care residents at Marianwood have exhausted their personal financial resources and insurance benefits. Marianwood's mission is to provide round-the-clock skilled nursing care to those in need regardless of their ability to pay. As a non-profit healthcare provider, Marianwood belongs to the communities it serves. Hundreds of individuals, corporations and foundations nurture and support the organization each year with their charitable contributions. Overseen by a board of directors of Eastside residents and professionals, Marianwood depends on the Spring Celebration Luncheon as its largest fundraising event of the year.

Luncheon proceeds will support the programs and services at Providence Marianwood. Donations to the Providence Marianwood Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) corporation, are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Official Website: http://www2.providence.org/kingcounty/facilities/providence-marianwood/Pages/SpringLuncheon.aspx