Legendary Entertainer Debbie Reynolds Selected for St. Barnabas Hance Award
Day-long Founder's Day Celebration to be held April 24
Gibsonia, Pa. - Jan. 25, 2008 - Whether she's dancing with Gene Kelly, being unsinkable as Molly Brown or hamming it up on "Will & Grace," Debbie Reynolds has entertained generations of Americans. Her talent is matched only by her benevolent work: fund-raising for Girl Scouts, founding a nonprofit for emotionally disturbed children; and collecting and preserving Hollywood memorabilia for future generations to enjoy.
For these reasons, the Hollywood legend has been selected as the guest speaker and St. Barnabas Hance Award recipient for St. Barnabas Charities' 2008 Founder's Day Celebration. Festivities will take place on Thursday, April 24. Founder's Day includes a 10 a.m. visit from Reynolds to St. Barnabas Nursing Home, 5827 Meridian Road. During that visit - open exclusively to residents and their families - Reynolds will spread her trademark cheer to nursing home patients. Following her visit, an invitation-only luncheon in her honor will be hosted at The Washington Place at St. Barnabas.
That evening, Founder's Day festivities will be held at the Omni William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh and will include a silent auction at 5:30 p.m. and a fund-raising dinner and program at 7 p.m., during which Reynolds will receive the St. Barnabas Hance Award and deliver a speech. Activities at the Omni William Penn are open to the public. Tickets are $250 each, with proceeds benefiting the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund, which supports poor and low-income patients at St. Barnabas Nursing Home, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors at St. Barnabas. For tickets or more information, call 724-443-0700, Ext. 5258 or visit www.stbarnabashealthsystem.com.
During the post-dinner program, St. Barnabas President William V. Day will present Reynolds with the Hance Award, named for St. Barnabas founder Brother Gouverneur P.
Hance. The award is presented annually to a person of national acclaim whose benevolent traits and goodwill are emblematic of Hance's. In receiving the award, Reynolds will join the ranks of past honorees such as Steve Allen, Norman Vincent Peale, Barbara Bush, "Buzz" Aldrin and Newt Gingrich.
Born in 1932, Reynolds' entertainment career spans 60 years and 73 film and television roles. She received an Oscar nomination for 1964's "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." In 2000, she was nominated for an Emmy for the television sitcom "Will & Grace." She is also renowned for singing and dancing alongside Gene Kelly in the 1952 classic "Singin' in the Rain." Widely regarded as one of America's first sweethearts, Reynolds was married to actor Eddie Fisher and is the mother of actress Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher.
The signature sponsor of Founder's Day 2008 is UPMC Health Plan.
About St. Barnabas, St. Barnabas Health System is the largest health care concern of its kind in Pennsylvania and offers service apart from the ordinary in a faith-based, non-denominational setting. Tracing its heritage back to 1900, the system serves approximately 900 inpatients and residents, plus 35,000 outpatients and home care clients. The health system is composed of the
St. Barnabas Communities, including The Village at St. Barnabas, The Washington Place at St. Barnabas and The Woodlands at St. Barnabas; St. Barnabas Clinical Services, including St. Barnabas Nursing Home, St. Barnabas Medical Center, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors at St. Barnabas; the Kean Theatre; and St. Barnabas Charities, the fund-raising arm.
Contact:
Kathleen Brenneman
(724) 444-5530
kbrenneman@stbarnabashealthsystem.com
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