The 12th-annual Red, Set, Go! Heart Luncheon — an event that raises funds for benefit local patients with heart disease issues — is set for 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

Presented by the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the event includes special honorees: all persons who have delivered “survivor” stories at the event.

Also speaking on heart health education will be Dr. Kara Urnes from Olympic Medical Heart Center and Dr. Kira Long, a vascular surgeon with Swedish Vascular Surgery.

Individual tickets are $60. Persons interested in sponsoring or attending the event can contact the Foundation office at 360-417-7144 or buy their tickets at www.omhf.org.

Funds from this year’s luncheon will go towards the purchase of state of the art diagnostic treadmills.

“Once again, we are raising money for something that will save lives,” said Rogers.

Last year a record 320 people attended the Red, Set, Go! Heart Luncheon.

“We encourage you to attend this wonderful event,” committee chair Karen Rogers said. “We have sold a record amount of sponsorships and therefore, 100 percent of all money raised at the luncheon will go towards local cardiac service care.”

To date, the event has raised more than $379,000, she said.

About the event

In 2008, the OMC Foundation launched a three-year campaign to raise awareness about the critical issue of heart health for women on the Olympic Peninsula.

The campaign was so successful that the foundation decided to host an annual event.

The educational lunch promotes that the key to eradicating this disease is education.

“The purpose of our event is to inspire women to become more educated to improve their heart health,” Urnes said.

“Many women are surprised to learn that heart disease is the number one killer of women.”

In the first 10 years, the event has raised money to benefit patients through the Olympic Medical Center’s cardiac program and save lives, according to OMC officials.

Proceeds from the events have also allowed the foundation to partner with local agencies to launch a community-wide Automated External Defibrillator program.

“We invite all the women in our community to join us at our inspiring luncheon,” said Rogers.