The Middle Tennessee Medical Center Foundation will host its fifth-annual Rutherford Society Gala Saturday, Jan. 14 at the Embassy Suites. This year’s guest speaker is former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is also a FOX News anchor, 2008 presidential candidate and NY Times best-selling author. He also airs three daily newscasts on ABC, which are heard locally on WGNS.

"Gov. Huckabee has quite a connection to health care as he’s personally faced the diagnosis of diabetes and throughout his career he has brought national attention to various health care issues,” said Jeff Lea, director of the MTMC Foundation.” This will be a night of inspiration and testimony about how he changed his life. 

Diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 2003, Huckabee lost 110 pounds and barely two years later, had completed four marathons. Continuing to call for a national emphasis on living a healthy lifestyle, Huckabee completed the book, “Quit Digging Your Grave With a Knife and Fork.”

The Rutherford Society Gala is a private event held to recognize donors in the Rutherford Society, a premier group of donors who contribute $1,000 or more to the MTMC Foundation in a calendar year to support foundation’s 16 funds. The Rutherford Society was established by the MTMC Foundation in 2007. This year, the foundation has created two new categories of giving to recognize clergy or donors under the age of 40 who give $500 in a calendar year. More than 500 attendees are expected to be honored at this year’s gala.

“This is a highly anticipated event each year and a great part of our hospital’s and Foundation’s success in meeting the critical needs of our community is in part from our Rutherford Society members. We look forward to recognizing them for their support,” said Gordon B. Ferguson, president and CEO of MTMC.

The 2012 Rutherford Society Gala co-chairs are Debbie and Jim Cope and Beth and Evan Cope. The gala’s planning committee chair is Joyce Taylor, who is joined by committee members Debbie Cope, Angela Floyd, Lindsey Fournier, Lynn Lien, Libby Long, Dr. Liz Rhea and Kathy Ryan.

For more information on the MTMC Foundation or to attend the private Rutherford Society Gala, contact Lindsey Fournier at 615-396-4996 or lindsey.fournier@mtmc.or or visit www.mtmc.org/foundation.