Explorer, adventurer Helen Thayer to keynote Providence Marionwood’s 12th Annual Spring Celebration Luncheon

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, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the http://www.bellevuehilton.com/, 300 112th Ave. SE, in Bellevue, 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.

Please contact Arlene Carter at 425-391-2895 or arlene.carter@providence.org to reserve your seat(s) for this event. Tickets are $50 per person. 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.

About Providence Marianwood:

Providence Marianwood enjoys a superior reputation in the community for providing high-quality nursing care with love, compassion and respect for the dignity of all individuals. Operated by Providence Health & Services, Marianwood is the only not-for-profit skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility in the Issaquah/Sammamish area. For more information, visit www.providencemarianwood.org.

About Helen Thayer:

In 1988 New Zealand born Helen Thayer became the first woman to walk and ski to any of the world's poles when she trekked solo to the Magnetic North Pole without dog sled or snowmobile. A resident of Snohomish, Wash., she was the first woman and first American to circumnavigate the Magnetic North Pole. Her best-selling book Polar Dream tells the story of her historic adventure with her beloved companion Charlie, her protector from the ever constant threat of polar bear attack. Thayer has gone on to explore far corners of the world. For more information, go to www.helenthayer.com.