Lincoln Day Dinner speaker backs out due to injury; substitute announced

The scheduled keynote speaker for next Friday's Lincoln Day Dinner has suffered an injury and won't be able to attend the event.

Alveda King was originally scheduled to speak at the 49th annual Lincoln Day Dinner, hosted by the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women at the A.C. Brase Arena Building at 410 Kiwanis Drive in Cape Girardeau.

The keynote speaker will instead be Gianna Jessen, a pro-life advocate, speaker, writer and singer, according to a news release.

According to Jessen's website, she survived an attempted abortion and was born two months premature. Jessen is also afflicted with cerebral palsy, and grew up in the foster care system, the website stated.

She is a motivational speaker on the subject of pro-life advocacy, according to the news release.

The theme of this year's Lincoln Day Dinner is "America Return to God."

Adrienne Ross will emcee the event, and special guests will be Capt. David Cantrell and Shawn Wasson.

Ross is an author, editor, columnist, speaker and former teacher and coach, according to her website. She owns Adrienne Ross Communications.

Cantrell, born and raised in Cape Girardeau, graduated from Southeast Missouri State University and served in the U.S. Navy, where he received several commendations. Cantrell owns MedStop One, a family medical practice, and resides in Cape Girardeau with his family.

Wasson is pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau, and serves as police chaplain for three departments in Cape Girardeau County. He also teaches for Hannibal LaGrange University's extension in Cape Girardeau, where he lives with his wife and daughter.

Doors for the Lincoln Day event open at 5 p.m. Friday, and the social meet and greet will be from 5 to 6 p.m., when the program will begin. All statewide and federal office holders and candidates will address the audience, according to the release.

Tickets are available at squareup.com/store/cape-county-republicanwomen or can be reserved at the door by sending a request to lori.trump@att.net.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.