NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2007
Contact: Diane Brossart
Valley Forward Association
(602) 240-2408

FROM EVEREST TO ARABIA, VALLEY FORWARD HOSTS JAMIE CLARKE
AT 38th ANNUAL LUNCHEON
Clarke Inspires Adventure When Meeting the Challenges of Everyday Life

PHOENIX, Ariz. (November 12, 2007) – Jamie Clarke, the only man to have accomplished such feats as the summit of Mount Everest and crossing of Arabia's Empty Quarter, will deliver the keynote address at Valley Forward's 38th Annual Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 14, at The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale.

Clarke, one of the top 10 professional speakers on the circuit today, demonstrates lessons learned during his expeditions and directly applies them to everyday challenges. He is an entrepreneur in the business of adventure and self-discovery. At the Annual Luncheon, guests will hear of first-hand interactions from Clarke's journeys including his training in Arizona as preparation for crossing the Empty Quarter, the dimly understood culture of the Bedu in the Arabian Desert and perilous climbing excursions atop Mount Everest.

"Valley Forward is excited to bring to life a unique desert environment from another corner of the world for our members and guests to learn more about our own natural habitat and how it compares and contrasts with Arabia's Empty Quarter," said Diane Brossart, president of Valley Forward. "Jamie Clarke will poignantly illustrate how we can all make our lives more adventuresome while overcoming daily challenges."

In his co-produced documentary films and co-authored book based on his Everest expeditions, including Above All Else (internationally broadcasted on National Geographic in Spring 1999) and The Power of Passion (published June 1997), Clarke discusses real-life hopes and dreams amid tragedy and tenacity and applies them to everyday living. While camel-crossing Arabia's Empty Quarter, the most desolate and dangerous desert in the world, Clarke shared his adventure with 25,000 children from 800 schools around the world via an educational Web site. After conquering his journey, as one of three Westerners to cross the Empty Quarter in 46 years, he published a second book, Everest to Arabia (2000), and soon after produced a second National Geographic documentary that discusses his adventure.

The luncheon program is open to the public for $75 per person or $700 for a table of 10 people. Reservations are available online at www.valleyforward.org or by calling (602) 240-2408.

In addition to Clarke's presentation, Valley Forward's Annual Luncheon will facilitate the election of the environmental public interest organization's 2008 Board of Directors and recognize outstanding contributions to the association over the past year. The event has traditionally drawn upwards of 700 business and civic leaders.

Major sponsors of Valley Forward's 38th Annual Luncheon include: Allied Waste, The Arizona Republic, EEC, Gammage & Burnham, Southwest Airlines and Thinking Caps. Additional support came from Valley Forward Visionary members: APS, City of Phoenix, Honeywell, Intel Corporation, SRP, STMicroelectronics and Wells Fargo. Since 1969, Valley Forward's mission is to bring business and civic leaders together to convene thoughtful public dialogue on regional issues and to promote cooperative efforts to improve the environment and quality of life in Valley communities.