The Lake Washington College Foundation will hold its annual Pathways to Learning benefit breakfast fundraiser from 7:30-9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, on the main Lake Washington Technical College (LWTC) campus, 11605 132nd Ave. NE. in Kirkland. In addition to the Kirkland campus, LWTC has branch campuses in Redmond and Duvall.

Eddie Barbini, executive producer of the Discovery Channel’s popular reality show, “Dirty Jobs,” will be the keynote speaker for the fundraising breakfast. Mike Rowe, star of the show, will make a special video appearance. “Dirty Jobs,” now in its sixth season, celebrates the working lives of men and women across America.

Elling Halvorson and his wife Barbara Halvorson are the event’s honorary chairs. Elling served on the LWTC board of trustees for 12 years. He founded Papillon Airways, was president and chief executive officer of Squire Motor Inns, Inc., vice president and partner of Grand Canyon Airlines, as well as CEO of Elling Halvorson, Inc. It was his vision, while chairman of the board of trustees, which led to LWTC becoming the only technical college in Washington to offer a Baccalaureate degree.

“The benefit breakfast is our major fundraising event of the year,” explained the Halvorsons. “We’re excited to have the support of Eddie and Mike, two acknowledged supporters of ‘the working man’ as well as the entire LWTC community.”

Proceeds from the breakfast allows the foundation to assist students and faculty in three ways:

• Providing students with financial support, enabling them to pursue their academic goals

• Providing families opportunities to improves their lives and live up to their potential

• Offering professional development and career training options for LWTC faculty

The breakfast will be sponsored by PAC Worldwide, Elling and Barbara Halvorson, Doug and Cathy Edlund, George Osborne, Boeing, Evergreen Hospital Medical Center, Evergreen Healthcare Foundation, Puget Sound Energy, Microsoft, DuPont, Follett Higher EducationGroup, Schreiber Starling & Lane Architects, Gurukul, Myung & YoungPark, Carol Temparo, Ph.D., Wayne and Shirley Metcalf, Norman and Lynne Langseth, Anne Hamilton, Dr. Lynette Jones, Randall M. Maebo, D.D.S., Food Services of America, Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce, Aramark Uniform Services, Stopwatch Espresso, Henry Schein, Evergreen Vending, The Heathman Hotel, Massage Envy, The Prop Gallery West, Woodmark, Ingellina’s, Northwest Nurseries, and AA Party Rentals.

Various levels of sponsorship opportunities still remain, including $1,000 table sponsorships. Minimum donation for the breakfast is $150.

For more information, call (425) 739-8134 or e-mail foundation@lwtc.edu.

The Foundation’s 2009 fundraiser, Sailing into Success, grossed more than $91,000. The money was used to establish new student scholarships in the International Program and Student Nursing Organization and to fund various academic programs.