The
2nd
Annual
American
Freedom
Festival
San
Diego
held
May
28
aboard
the
USS
Midway
Museum
was
a
night
worth
remembering.
Themed
“Families
of
the
Fallen”
and
after
an
amazing
version
of
the
national
anthem
by
the
Navy
Chorus,
Laurel
Tsirimokos
wrote
and
narrated
a
wonderful
tribute
to
the
fallen
orchestrated
by
the
Marine
Headquarter
Squadron
3
Honor
Guard
building
the
Battlefield
Cross.
It
left
everyone
speechless
and
started
our
evening
off
on
just
the
right
note.
Thanks
so
much
to
Laurel.
Job
well
done!
SMA
Tilley,
our
host
for
the
evening,
took
the
stage
and
introduced
the
marketing
director
for
the
USS
Midway
Museum,
Mr.
Scott
McGaugh.
After
a
short
history
of
the
museum,
Scott
read
a
welcome
letter
from
Mr.
Jerry
Sanders,
Mayor
of
San
Diego.
The
staff
and
crew
of
the
USS
Midway
Museum
have
been
great
partners
on
this
event
that
kicks
off
their
Legacy
Week.
SMA
Tilley
brought
out
LCDR
Dr.
Andrew
Baldwin,
physician,
humanitarian,
former
Navy
Seal,
former
star
of
the
TV
Series
“The
Bachelor”
and
founder
of
one
of
the
evening’s
charitable
partners,
Got
Your
Back
Network
(GYBN).
GYBN
hosted
10
families
of
the
fallen
for
the
evening’s
festivities.
They
all
had
a
great
time
as
the
event
provided
some
welcomed
relief
from
the
issues
they
have
to
deal
with
everyday
having
lost
a
loved
one
in
war.
For
our
first
musical
performance,
KYXY’s
Sam
Bass
brought
out
the
U.
S.
Army’s
Rena
Marie
Cunningham
from
the
Indiana
National
Guard.
Rena
gave
a
great
performance
and
is
sure
to
have
a
promising
future!
SMA
introduced
our
long
time
partner
and
co‐host,
Karri
Turner,
and
CEO
of
our
presenting
sponsor,
SKYDEX,
Mr.
Mike
Buchen,
to
present
our
charitable
contributions
for
the
evening.
Mike
hosted
45
soldiers
from
Ft.
Irwin
who
were
acknowledged.
What
a
great
gesture,
Mike!
Then
he
shocked
the
whole
crowd
by
presenting
SMA
Tilley
with
a
$25,000
check!
SMA
welcomed
the
evening’s
beneficiaries
to
the
stage:
United
Through
Reading,
Big
Brothers
Big
Sisters
of
San
Diego
County,
Got
Your
Back
Network,
San
Diego
Armed
Services
YMCA
and
Veterans
Village
of
San
Diego.
These
fine
organizations
provide
such
great
services
to
our
veterans,
active
duty
military
and
military
families.
It
is
with
great
honor
and
privilege
that
we
were
able
to
presented
$50,000
in
contributions!
Sam
Bass
took
the
stage
and
introduced
the
legendary
singer/
songwriter
Kenny
Loggins.
To
say
his
performance
was
magical
and
electric
would
be
an
understatement.
He
wowed
the
crowd
and
captured
the
essence
of
the
evening
with
a
stunning
performance.
Thanks,
Kenny!
Everyone
seemed
to
have
a
great
time
and
participated
enthusiastically
in
this
great
tribute
to
the
Families
of
the
Fallen!
Thanks
to
all
those
who
attended
and
to
our
sponsors
who
together
helped
make
this
a
night
to
remember!
