Formal gala honors military
Students gather for a classy night of food and fellowship at annual appreciation dinner
Liberty students, faculty and staff honored students serving in the armed forces at the third annual Military Appreciation Gala Saturday, Nov. 10.
For the second year in a row, the gala was held in the Williams Stadium Club Pavilion and was limited to about 300 people. Tickets for the event were $5, but members of the military were able to attend the event free of charge. The gala is formal, and attendees are required to wear appropriate attire, such as cocktail dresses and suits.
Liberty’s chapter of Concerned Women for America (CWA) holds the event in order to honor students, both online and on campus, who are members of the military.
Appreciation — Liberty honored the military with a formal event Nov. 9. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
According to its website, CWA is a coalition of conservative women that promotes biblical values and family traditions. CWA has nearly 500 prayer or action chapels located in almost all 50 states.
Young Women for America (YWA), Liberty’s CWA chapter, is in charge of the annual event. Kristin Handy, the president of YWA, coordinates the gala.
“Concerned Women for America is all about prayer, and one group of people that we pray for is the military,” Handy said. “We want to honor those people who serve our country. There are students on campus who are serving in the ROTC program, students who are veterans, and online students serving in the military.”
The evening featured a dessert and coffee buffet, presentations from Liberty military student groups and the testimony of a military veteran, complete with a performance from the jazz ensemble.
“It was an honor to perform at the event,” Liberty senior and jazz ensemble member Kyle Harvey said. “The Military Appreciation Gala is the most anticipated event for the jazz band every fall.”
Appreciation — Liberty honored the military with a formal event Nov. 9. Photo credit: Ruth Bibby
Kendra Bartlett, the national executive director for CWA, and Janet Robey, the Virginia field director for CWA, spoke on behalf of the organization. Both of their husbands currently serve in the military.
The keynote speaker for the evening was Cpl. Jared Dellelo, a former Marine and a Liberty student who serves as president of the Student Veterans Group (SVG). Dellelo took the opportunity to share his testimony, including how his four years in the marines affected him.
“Sometimes you forget there are veterans who are around our age that are sitting next to us in class,” Liberty senior Ruth Bibby said. “It was great to hear his testimony.”
The purpose of the event was to honor members of the armed forces, but several door prizes were also given away to attendees. The big prizes for the evening were an iPod Touch and an iPad.
CWA raised $500 from the event, which went to Students Behind Our Soldiers, a student-run organization with a vision to serve and give back to the brave men and women who serve in the U.S. military and their families.