Blue Angels Boats and Benaroya

The Blue Angels soared and Team Mary roared! During Seafair Weekend in Seattle a very special event brought neighbors, friends and family together to support Mary Kastner and others suffering from autoimmune diseases. Mary and Chuck Kastner held a “Blue Angels, Boats and Benaroya” party to celebrate Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason’s efforts to eliminate autoimmune diseases.

A Front Row Seat

Guests were invited to watch the Blue Angels and hydroplanes in action from the front lawn of the Kastners' home above Lake Washington. The Kastners and Homer Lane, Executive Director of Benaroya Research Institute (BRI), talked about the cutting-edge research of the institute and how vital donations are to the continued success of the organization. Friends and family contributed generously to the cause.

Special Moments

“It was a good feeling to have so many people support this effort,” says Chuck Kastner. “Living with autoimmune diseases is a lonely business. It’s hard for people to understand what a struggle it is for Mary to simply live her life with three different autoimmune diseases. To have a community of people come together to support her and contribute to BRI, lets her know she is not alone, and gives her and the millions of other people struggling with autoimmune diseases hope. Hope is a very important thing to hold on to, and BRI gives them that.”

Team Mary Since 2012

Since 2012, Team Mary has held yearly events to support BRI. “We strongly believe that individual actions can change the world for the better,” says Chuck. They passed that value on. Last year when their son Andrew and his wife Hana married, instead of registering for gifts, they asked their guests to make a donation to BRI. “That’s how important BRI is to our family,” explains Chuck.

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