Blinded Vets Foundation Hosts Congressional Awards Ceremony and Picnic
WASHINGTON, June 13, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Blinded American Veterans Foundation (BAVF) hosts its 33rd annual Congressional Awards Ceremony on Thursday, June 14, 2018, to be followed by its annual Flag Day Picnic on June 16. The Congressional Awards Ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. in Room 344 (Veterans Affairs Committee Room) of the Cannon House Office Building, while the picnic will be held in Silver Spring, MD. Both events are part of the Foundation's Flag Day observances honoring Members of Congress, the media, and volunteers.
"This is a special time of year for the Foundation," said BAVF President John Fales of Silver Spring, MD, "for it centers on the day our country pays tribute to the American flag. It also gives us the opportunity to honor those in Congress and the media who have helped the millions of men and women who were willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our flag and for all it stands, as well as thank some of the many, many volunteers who have helped the Foundation since its beginning."
At awards ceremonies on June 14, U.S. Representatives Jodey Arrington(R-TX) and Charlie Crist (D-FL) will receive the Foundation's George "Buck" Gillispie Award for Meritorious Service. The BAVF's Carlton Sherwood Media Award will be presented Stuart Nelson, communications manager for the Blinded Veterans Foundation, and Bob Vincent, president of Reel Heroes Media. The Foundation's George W. Alexander Memorial Volunteer Award will be presented to Danique Masingill, president and founder of Leashes of Valor, and The Black Dagger Military Hunt Club (Dave Winters, president). The Foundation's Corporate Award will be presented to eSight.
The Foundation's annual patriotic picnic attracts political figures, area civic leaders, veterans' services organization representatives, and the BAVF "family" of disabled and visually impaired veterans. Flags that were flown over the U.S. Capitol will be presented to many guests. As always, the picnic's famous hot dogs will be prepared and served by the gregarious Chef Lakis, a long-time Washington, D.C. fixture who has since retired from his cart at the northeast corner of 18th and K Streets, N.W.
The Blinded American Veterans Foundation assists blinded and sensory-disabled veterans in attaining their full potential through research, rehabilitation, and re-employment. It offers employment networking and rehabilitation and resource counseling, and provides funding for rehabilitation centers. Other programs include a speaker's bureau, placement services, and a compilation of related statistics. It also conducts research, educational, and charitable programs. This valuable service is performed strictly with volunteers and without a paid staff.
SOURCE Blinded American Veterans Foundation
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