Kristi Yamaguchi To Chair 23rd Annual A Toast to the Triangle

RALEIGH, N.C. – Mary Freeman, president and CEO of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, has announced that Olympic Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi will again serve as the honorary chair of the 23rd annual A Toast to the Triangle™ scheduled for March 2008 at North Carolina State University’s McKimmon Center in Raleigh. A Toast to the Triangle raises funds for the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc., which supports the children and adults of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. The Center provides programs for children and adults with special needs, including educational services, respite care, early childhood intervention, residential services and a summer program.

The event offers guests samples from over 40 of the area’s finest restaurants, caterers and purveyors of fine wines and beers, as well as friendly competition among the participants. The 2007 Toast, which raised almost $175,000 for the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, was held April 1 at the McKimmon Center, and more than 1,350 guests attended.

2007 Winners included:

• Best Entrée – Án, Cary
• Best Appetizer/Hors d'ouevres – The Weathervane, Chapel Hill
• Best Dessert – Angus Barn, Raleigh
• Best Food Presentation – Án, Cary
• Best Visual Theme – Án, Cary
• People’s Choice – Yancy’s, Raleigh

For more information, a list of participating restaurants or sponsor information, please contact Maria Hernandez at (919) 832-3909 ext. 107 or email mhernandez@tammylynncenter.org.

Related Links:
www.atoasttothetriangle.org
www.tammylynncenter.org
www.mckimmon.ncsu.edu

Quotes:
“We are excited to have Kristi join us again this year for the Toast,” said Freeman. “Her enthusiasm for the Center and the Toast is inspiring to us all, and we look forward to working with her to make this year’s event the best yet.”

“I have a special place in my heart for children with disabilities,” said Yamaguchi. “To be able to work with an organization that does so much for children with special needs is a wonderful opportunity.”

About Kristi Yamaguchi:
Athlete, artist, wife, mother, philanthropist — in each of these things Kristi Yamaguchi embodies the word champion. Her motto is “Always dream,” and Kristi’s accomplishments prove that dreams can come true with hard work and dedication. Her achievements — on the ice, in her personal life and in the realm of community service — are many, all of which prove her consistent commitment to excellence. One of Kristi’s lasting legacies will be her Always Dream Foundation. Established in 1996, the foundation has been an active fundraiser and supporter of children’s charities in the San Francisco Bay area, including annual Christmas toy drives. It organized two large-scale events in Hawaii, where able-bodied and disabled children competed side by side in an Olympic-themed camp. The major project currently on her schedule is the development of a “boundless playground.” Kristi’s athletic achievements include Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time World Champion, U.S. Champion, four-time World Professional Champion and two-time U.S. Pair Competition champion. Kristi lives with her husband, Bret Hedican, of the Carolina Hurricanes, and their two daughters in Raleigh, N.C., and Alamo, Calif.

About the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc.:
The Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc., founded in 1969, supports the children and adults of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. The Center provides programs for children and adults with special needs, including educational services, respite care, early childhood intervention, residential services and a summer program. The Tammy Lynn Center serves nearly 400 children and families each year. For more information, please visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

About the Tammy Lynn Center:
Located on a nine-acre campus near North Carolina State University in Raleigh, the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities (TLCDD) offers educational, residential and family support services to children and adults with special needs. In its 38th year, the Center remains committed to providing the individuals it serves with the opportunity to maximize their abilities and potential in a loving, nurturing environment. TLCDD is owned by the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. and is independently operated by TLC Operations, Inc. Both corporations are under the parent company Tammy Lynn Center, Inc. All organizations are nonprofit entities (510(c)(3), and contributions are tax deductible. For more information, please visit www.tammylynncenter.org.

About A Toast to the Triangle:
A Toast to the Triangle was first held on April 6, 1986 at Carolina Place. Approximately $6,000 was raised and given to the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation’s Building Fund. Since 1986, the event has been held annually to raise funds for the Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc. and its affiliated organizations. The event offers an astonishing array of culinary splendor from 40 of the Triangle’s finest restaurants, caterers and purveyors of fine wines and specialty beers. Attracting more than 1,300 people, last year’s event raised over $175,000 for the Center’s programs and services. To learn more about this event, please visit www.atoasttothetriangle.org.

Keywords:
Tammy Lynn Memorial Foundation, Inc., Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, Kristi Yamaguchi, A Toast to the Triangle, McKimmon Center, Mary Freeman, Maria Hernandez, North Carolina Nonprofit, Raleigh Fundraiser Event, Raleigh Restaurants, Án, The Weathervane, Angus Barn, Yancy’s

Maria I. Hernandez
Director of Development
Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities
(919) 832-3909 x 107
(919) 863 2021 (fax)
mhernandez@tammylyncenter.org

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