Acclaimed endurance athlete Dean Karnazes, author of Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner and 50/50: How to Achieve Super Endurance, will offer an inspiring keynote address at the third annual “An Education for Every Child” event for Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children on Wednesday, July 8. The major education-themed fundraising event will be held from 2:30 to 6:00 at the Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach, California.
“An Education for Every Child” raises funds for Olive Crest’s diverse educational programs—which include the NOVA Academy high school for at-risk teens, three Therapeutic Educational Center (or TEC) schools for exceptional middle and elementary school kids, and the Olive Crest Education Fund, which provides scholarships for college and pays the costs of tuition, housing, tutors, mentoring and even backpacks for at-risk youngsters
Time magazine named Dean Karnazes as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” He is an internationally recognized endurance athlete, a best-selling author, and a sought-after speaker. In addition, Karnazes is an accomplished businessman and entrepreneur with a notable professional career working for Fortune 500 companies and startups alike.
“We’re so honored to have Dean Karnazes speak at our event,” says Olive Crest co-founder Lois Verleur. “His accomplishments are extraordinary, and I know he will be an inspiration to everyone present.”
A passionate advocate for healthy, active living—Men’s Fitness said of him, “[He] might just be the fittest man in the world”—Karnazes’ most recent endeavor was running 50 marathons, in all 50 states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the New York City Marathon, which he completed in three hours and thirty seconds. Among his many accomplishments, he’s run a 135-mile ultramarathon across Death Valley in 120-degree temperatures and a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees. He’s run a 200-mile relay solo, racing alongside teams of twelve, and has completed a 35-mile run. Karnazes swam across the San Francisco Bay, climbed Half Dome in Yosemite, mountain-biked for 24 hours straight, surfed the gigantic waves off the coast of Hawaii, and is an accomplished windsurfer. He won the Vermont 100-mile Endurance Run, holds eleven Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run silver buckles for sub-24-hour finishes, has raced and competed across the globe, and has won the world’s toughest footrace: the Badwater Ultramarathon. He is a recipient of an ESPN ESPY Award for Best Outdoor Athlete in 2006.
His incredible adventures have been featured on 60 Minutes, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, NPR’s Morning Edition, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, the BBC and many others. His first book, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, is a national bestseller. Beyond being an acclaimed endurance athlete, philanthropist, and bestselling author, Karnazes is an accomplished businessman with a notable professional career working for several Fortune 500 companies and startups. In the span of two decades, he has risen through the ranks of corporate America to become president of his own company. Karnazes is a frequent speaker to schools and youth groups. He has traveled the country, meeting and running with people of all ages to promote the importance of physical exercise and good diet.
Tickets and sponsorships for “An Education for Every Child” are available at four different price levels; $3,500 for premium seating for eight as well as special recognition, entry into a VIP cocktail reception and a photo op with Dean Karnazes: $2,500 for a table of eight with special recognition; individual tickets for $500 each; and $10,000 for all previously mentioned benefits as well as company participation with speaker during the Q&A portion of the event. For more information or to purchase tickets, register at olivecrest.org, or contact Gloria Grana at (714) 543-5437 ext. 1649 or [email protected]
Since 1973, Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children has been a leader in providing care for abused, abandoned and severely neglected children. Olive Crest is dedicated to Preventing child abuse, to Treating and Educating at-risk children and to Preserving the family… “One Life at a Time.” ®
Olive Crest continues to promote the Health, Nutrition and Safety of children and families through innovative programs including specialized education, foster and adoption, family preservation, and residential homes. Olive Crest’s outreach serves California, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. For information call 1-800-550-CHILD (2445) or visit www.olivecrest.org.
Report By Current PR