|
Posted on 02/11/2005 7:49:42 PM PST by CitizenHelper
Inaugural Ball Honors Wounded Troops, Raises Support Funds
WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2005 — Troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were treated here last night to a once-in-a-lifetime experience: an inaugural ball in their honor, with a big lineup of celebrities, entertainers and defense brass thanking them for their sacrifices.
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz chats with Army 1st lt. Phil Goodrun, a patient at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, during the Heroes Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball.
The guests of honor at the first Heroes Red, White and Blue Inaugural Ball were about 150 patients from Walter Reed Army Medical Center here and the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Md., and their guests.
Most came in dress uniforms they hadn't worn since before their deployments to Southwest Asia, some wore borrowed or rented tuxedos, but all came ready to party and have a good time.
The event, sponsored by Citizens Helping Heroes and Veterans Foundation Inc., was a fundraiser for three military support organizations: Fisher House, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, and the Washington USO.
(Excerpt) Read more at defenselink.mil ...
CHH just finished hosting the Heroes Red, White & Blue Inagural Ball last month here in Washington, DC. It was a very speacial evening honoring wounded military personnel from Bethesda Naval Hospital and Walter Reed Medical Center.
It was an unoffical ball, but saw Sec. Def. Rumsfeld, Dep. Sec. Wolofwitz, Gen. Myers, Gen. Pace and Sec. Princippi in attendance for an evening to celebrate democracy and entertain America's Heroes.
Our next event is scheduled for this Spring where we will basically be taking this same message, show and mission to primetime network televison. We can not do it alone and welcome your support. Thank you.
Welcome to Free Republic!
Support the military PING
Thanks for the ping Tonk! God Bless our Troops!
That's great to hear, the troops deserve all the support we can give them.
|
Thank you, Sir. Check out our web site to view some great pictures of the troops having a great time. Of course, the Washington Post and NY Times trashed us because we had dance music with folks in wheelchairs and amputees...they just don't get it.
http://www.citizenshelpingheroes.org
This is great.
What can someone in Houston do?
Welcome to FR. Great 1st thread.
Tell your friends, spread the word, watch the show :)
We started CHH a month before the war in Iraq began. Being in D.C. we saw it unfolding and knew there would be a need to help the troops and more specifically their families....the unsung heroes.
We wanted to take support for the troops out of the political fray and election. We knew most every American had learned the lesson's from Vietnam and truly supported our troops regardless of whether or not they agreed with its politics. We wanted to get that message out to the troops and their families and raise money for charities that directly support them like the four official military relief societies, T.A.P.S., Fisher House and the USO.
We have been working on the TV show for well over a year and the Inaugural Ball was something we decided to do in early December. It was a handful, but we pulled it off with only a few new grey hairs to show for it....ok a lot of grey hairs! ;)
I thought the flag was draped over the rock, but it's not. It's actually painted on the rock too.
Thanks Ray [Bubba] Sorensen 2nd the artist
Big Pings
Buuuump! Thank God for our heroes and their loved ones!
What are PINGS?
Here are a few more good articles:
Service members, families honored at inaugural balls
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292236-612116.php
Sons of Guardsman killed in Iraq attend D.C. ball as special guests
http://www.reflector.com/news/content/news/stories/2005/01/30/20050130GDRcash.html;COXnetJSessionID=CNJeqd2aUwwVULPDsMjgOYWwH4J2oJr1WVnRRdFHwIfkXmMcIg92!-1240395847?urac=n&urvf=11081833266310.6881205685680113
What are PINGS?
Pings alert other FReepers who would take an interest in your Thread
Also, I wanted to personally thank the Issa Family Foundation for their support in making the Heroes Red, White & Blue Inaugural Ball a reality.
BTTT
FYI, we are editing a two-three hour version of the ball and burning several thousand DVDs to ship overseas to the folks in the field. Also, we expect the Pentagon Channel to air it again and hope to eventually stream excerpts on our web site.
There were some incredible moments from the heartfelt speeches from Sec. Rumsfeld to Connie Stevens to Geraldo! (yes, Mr. Rivera is so pro-troops you would not believe it)to the memorable performances by the musical guests. My favorite was when CHIC sang their songs At Last I Am Free and I Need Your Love and personalized the lyrics for the men and women in the audience and overseas.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.