Marty Manning, Thunderbirds Charities To Receive Heart Of The House Awards At Ronald McDonald House Gala

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona will present the 2019 Heart of the House Awards to longtime radio personality Marty Manning, who recently retired after 50 years in broadcasting, and Thunderbirds Charities, a consistent and longtime supporter and advocate for Ronald McDonald House Charities and the families it serves, at A McNight to Remember Around the World in 80 Days Gala on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the J.W. Marriott Camelback Inn Resort.

Presented by La-Z-Boy, the black-tie optional event begins at 6 p.m. with a silent auction and will be followed by dinner, live auction and presentation of the awards. The gala will end at 9:30 p.m. and be immediately followed by the Passport to Party After Party hosted by the Red Shoe Society, a young professionals group.

Chris Bates, Vice President of Marketing and Merchandising for La-Z-Boy Arizona, and Sebastien Reyes, Vice President of Communications for Phoenix-based U-Haul International, are the event co-chairs.

"As the name implies, the Heart of the House Awards are presented to individuals and organizations who have embraced the work we do, the families we serve and the children who capture our hearts," Bates said. "Marty Manning and Thunderbirds Charities have been deeply supportive of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona for many years, and we are tremendously grateful to have them as part of our family."

Manning, who spent the last 30 years at iHeart radio and whose iconic voice is known to countless Arizonans through the radio and his public appearances, served as master of ceremonies at more than a dozen McNight galas. "Marty has told us many times how much he and his wife, Wendy, look forward to being part of the gala. And we always looked forward to how much he added to the evening," Reyes said.

Heart of the House Corporate Award honoree Thunderbirds Charities, a nonprofit organization that distributes monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open, "understands fully our mission to 'keep families close' and has made a tremendous difference, providing grants and expansion gifts that have helped RMHC provide comfort and care to families during the most difficult times. The support receive from community champions like Thunderbirds Charities makes it possible for families to stay at one of the three Ronald McDonald Houses in the Valley at little or no cost," Bates said.

No family is ever turned away if they cannot contribute the $15 nightly fee that is requested. The average daily cost to house a family for one night is $77.

Individual tickets for the black-tie optional dinner and After Party are $300. After Party-only tickets are $50. Sponsorship opportunities begin at $5,000. For more information and to register, visit https://rmhccnaz.org/gala.

For more information, visit www.rmhccnaz.org or contact RMHC Director of Special Events Leslie Religioso at (602) 798-5097 or email at leslie@rmhccnaz.org.For more information about Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdcharities.org