May 9, 2016

Joe Foss Institute Nets $1M-plus at Stars in Service Gala

Medal of Honor Recipients, their escorts from Luke Air Force Base and other attendees. Greta Van Susteren. PHILIP GUDENSCHWAGER

The Joe Foss Institute netted more than $1 million at its annual Stars in Service gala on April 17. The event at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa will benefit the Civics Education Initiative and the Joe Foss Institute programs.

Presented by Shamrock Farms, the gala included one of the largest gatherings of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients with 16 in attendance out of the 77 still living. Each of these veterans, in addition to six World War II veterans, was honored with the JFI Patriotism Award and kicked off the evening as part of a Grand March that brought the capacity crowd to their feet with a standing ovation. The event also celebrated the culmination of institute founder Joe Foss’ centennial year and the institute’s 15^th anniversary.

Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation’s Board of Director’s member Greta Van Susteren, the host of prime-time news and interview program On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, Fox News Channel, led the Patriotism Award presentation. Each Medal of Honor recipient and World War Ii veteran present was recognized.

Governor Doug Ducey received the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award for making Arizona the first out of nine states to require high school students to pass a civics test through the JFI-sponsored Civics Education Initiative. The gala also honored Karrin Kunasek Taylor and Jim Chamberlin, inducting them into the JFI Chairman’s Council. Anna Hoffman, Sydney Hubbard and Audrey Worthing received the 2016 JFI Outstanding Achievement in Youth Civics Award for launching an initiative that tested junior and senior classes on how well they knew civics.

The evening concluded with remarks from keynote speaker General John R. Allen, USMC (Ret) Former commander of NATO and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, and former Special Presidential Envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL.

Tracy Bame, president of Freeport-McMoRan Foundation, and Richard Adkerson, president and CEO of Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold, Inc., co-chaired the gala.

PHOTOS COURTESY JOE FOSS INSTITUTE