Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Greg Michaels, 15, and his mom, Marne, enjoy a hug. Greg's heart attack at the age of 3 1/2 inspired his mother's volunteer work.

Saratoga volunteer is all heart

By Sarah Quelland

Marne Michaels is a very busy woman.

In addition to working full time and raising a family, this Saratoga resident volunteers a great deal of time with the American Heart Association. In November, she was presented with the Distinguished Honoree Award at the 1997 Silicon Valley Philanthropy Awards celebration.

Michaels speaks humbly about her volunteer work. "I do this because I enjoy it," she says. "Because I work in the community, I can really help the Heart Association."

She adds that the appreciation of the AHA staff "makes it very easy for me to do what I do."

Her involvement with AHA began about five years ago; her interest stems from the impact heart problems have had on her own family. Her father died of a heart-related illness, and her older son, Gregory, now 15, suffered a heart attack as a toddler and was diagnosed with a supposedly fatal heart condition. During this time, Michaels followed new research in the heart health field very closely. Two years later, Gregory's heart spontaneously healed itself.

Once her two children were older, she decided to spend more time promoting heart awareness through volunteer work. Two of her main projects are the Research Roundtable Luncheon and the Women's Heartstyle Luncheon.

The Research Roundtable Luncheon is an annual event that began about five years ago. Michaels and Maria Pappas, an AHA worker, bring financial investors and cardiac device companies together with a panel of speakers. The next fundraiser takes place sometime this spring. According to Michaels, the goal for the coming year is to raise $225,000.

The Women's Heartstyle event is going into its fourth year. Last year, it drew about 500 people. "Our whole goal is to educate women on heart disease," she says, explaining how it distresses her that many women don't realize that heart disease is one of the top killers of women.

In a recent press release, the AHA refers to Michaels as one of its "most committed volunteers." It also credits her with helping raise more than $500,000.

Along with her volunteer activities, Michaels makes time for a job and a family. She works full time for Colliers Parish, a commercial real estate organization. She also volunteers with a parent organization at son Gregory's school and hopes her work is setting a good example.

"I'm by no means any wonder woman," says Michaels, who is thankful for her family's support for what she does. Fritz Geibel, her husband of 18 years, often accompanies her to events.

"He sees the reward I get out of it," she says.

Michaels' husband, mother, brother and sister and their spouses attended the philanthropy awards ceremony.

While the award was meaningful for Michaels, she says, "I think it was real nice for my mom to know that I'm doing what I can to educate people on heart disease."

Although she has yet to begin a new project, one issue she wants to tackle soon is the increase in teen smoking. "It's very disturbing to me," she says, adding, "I think [it's] something [the AHA] should definitely get involved in."

All this work leaves Michaels with very little time to spare, and she laughs good-naturedly when asked about it. Among her favorite free-time activities are spending time with her family, playing tennis and golf, entertaining, enjoying her home and reading. But, she says, "it takes me a long time to finish a book."

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