Salute to veterans: Fourth annual Spirit of Democracy Banquet and Silent Auction set for Saturday in Cape Girardeau

Officials with the Stars and Stripes Museum and Library, located in Bloomfield, Missouri, will be holding their fourth annual Spirit of Democracy Banquet and Silent Auction on Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., with the program beginning at 6 p.m.

The mission of this event is to celebrate, encourage and promote commitment and service to our country while also honoring the nation’s veterans. All proceeds raised from the event will go to support the facility, the only museum in the country dedicated to the history of the nation’s military newspaper.

This year, the keynote speaker is Laura Rauch, a former Stars and Stripes photojournalist and war correspondent. Rauch’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.

Rauch’s assignments have taken her to more than 45 countries, covering everything from the Olympics to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. She joined Stars and Stripes in 2011 as a Mideast reporter and quickly gained recognition for her work. In 2011, Rauch won a Sigma Delta Chi Award for excellence in journalism for her photograph of a wounded soldier being transported in a medevac helicopter to the Role 3 hospital at Kandahar AirField in Afghanistan. The photo captured Pfc. Kyle Hockenberry, who was injured in an improvised explosive device attack June 15, 2011. The 19-year-old lost both legs and his left arm in the blast. The photo was the winner in the breaking news category for newspapers with circulation of 100,000 or more. Judges chose from more than 1,700 entries in categories covering print, radio, television and online.

Audience members salute and put their hands on their hearts during the national anthem at the second annual Spirit of Democracy Celebration and Dinner and Silent Auction at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau in 2021.Southeast Missourian file

Audience members salute and put their hands on their hearts during the national anthem at the second annual Spirit of Democracy Celebration and Dinner and Silent Auction at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau in 2021.Southeast Missourian file

Rauch will be sharing her insights and experiences during her time covering wars and conflicts across the globe in what event organizers described as an “inspiring and informative session”.

Along with the keynote speaker, there will be a silent auction for guests attending to bid on during the night. According to a news release, there is to be a plethora of fantastic items and services that have been donated to support the museum.

There will be food, a cash bar, raffles and live entertainment by The Jerry Ford Orchestra.

To purchase tickets, go to www.nssml.org. Tickets are priced at $125 per person, half a table for $500, and businesses can sponsor a table of eight for $1,000.

The mission of The Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library is the documentation, preservation and communication of the story of the Stars and Stripes newspaper and the commitment and service of the Stars and Stripers, the nation’s servicemen and women and everyday citizens through exhibits, educational outreach and special programs to further U.S. freedoms and values, according to its website.

The Stars and Stripes Museum and Library is located at 17377 Stars and Stripes Way in Bloomfield. It is closed Sundays and Tuesdays.

“Together, we can honor the sacrifices made by our veterans, preserve our country’s military history and promote the Spirit of Democracy.”

From left, Hollynn St. Clair, Madison Jackson and April Bassett pose for a photo during the inaugural Spirit of Democracy celebration Saturday at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau in 2019.Southeast Missourian file

From left, Hollynn St. Clair, Madison Jackson and April Bassett pose for a photo during the inaugural Spirit of Democracy celebration Saturday at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau in 2019.Southeast Missourian file