American Red Cross to Honor Peyton Manning at HCA/TriStar Health Lifesaver Breakfast

NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and former Tennessee Vol to Address Attendees at April 4th Fundraising Event in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn., December 15, 2015 — The Tennessee Region of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce Denver Broncos quarterback, Peyton Manning, the NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, as this year’s keynote speaker for the HCA/TriStar Health Lifesaver Breakfast. The event will take place on Monday, April 4, at 7:30 a.m. at the Music City Center in downtown Nashville.

Each year, the Lifesaver Breakfast hosts Nashville’s most influential business and community leaders, sharing the mission of the American Red Cross and raising the financial resources necessary to provide their core humanitarian services. 

This year’s breakfast will include the theme “2-Minute Warning”, a common term in the NFL when two minutes of game time remain on the game clock in each half, and, the amount of time fire experts agree people may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late. 

“The American Red Cross is in its second year of a five year campaign to reduce the number of home fire deaths by twenty-five percent, so, we thought the tie-in to home fire preparedness and the football terminology was a perfect fit,” said Joel Sullivan, Regional CEO of the Tennessee Region of the American Red Cross.  “We are thrilled that Peyton will be joining us this year as we share the lifesaving work of the Red Cross in Tennessee and highlight the importance of having working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan in your home.”

In addition to addressing breakfast attendees, Peyton, a member of the Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, will receive the Crystal Cross award in honor of celebrities who have shown exemplary support of and service to the Red Cross mission.  Past Crystal Cross recipients are Amy Grant, Sean Penn, Trace Adkins, Betty White, Niki Taylor and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others.

For the second year, Nashville-based Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) /TriStar Health is the Title Sponsor.  A leading provider of healthcare services, HCA/TriStar Health is committed to the care and improvement of human life.

"HCA has a deep-rooted history of caring for its communities—not only through the patient care we provide, but also by supporting the efforts of organizations like the American Red Cross," said HCA chairman and CEO Milton Johnson. "The Red Cross continues to expand its impact in the Nashville area, this year helping more than 243 families recover from disasters and teaching life-saving skills to nearly 8,400 people. HCA is proud to sponsor the 2016 Lifesaver Breakfast.”

                                                           

Jan and Harry Jacobson will serve as chairpersons of the 2016 Lifesaver Breakfast. The Jacobson’s have had tremendous impact within the community and beyond with their charitable involvement with non-profit organizations including Family Foundation Fund, Middle Tennessee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Shoot for the Future and Hospital Hospitality House.

Last year’s event raised nearly $750,000, a record-setting amount to support the vital mission of helping the community prepare, respond to and recover from disasters.

For more information on the HCA/TriStar Health Lifesaver Breakfast or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Jitka Pilar at 615-250-4288 or visit www.lifesaverbreakfast.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.