Featuring keynote speaker General Tommy Franks
Major General Bob Dees (Ret.) and WebMD founder Jeff Arnold to keynote symposium
Special musical performances by Charlie Daniels, Amy Grant, Kix Brooks, Gretchen Wilson and Larry Gatlin
NASHVILLE (March 10, 2010) – General Tommy Franks (Ret.) will be the keynote speaker for Lipscomb University’s Operation Yellow Ribbon event March 23. Larry Gatlin will emcee the evening event that features acoustic performances by Charlie Daniels, Amy Grant, Kix Brooks and Gretchen Wilson among others. Major General Bob Dees (Ret.) and Jeff Arnold, founder of WebMD, have been confirmed as keynote speakers for the event symposium.
The Operation Yellow Ribbon event is “An Inspiring Evening of Stories and Songs” to raise awareness and funds for Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon Program. The program begins at 7 p.m. in Lipscomb’s Allen Arena.
“I am both honored and humbled for the opportunity to work on behalf of the men and women that we hold in such high regard, that fight the great fight. Our hope is that within the event we, in some small way, can give back to those who sacrifice so much for the sake of our freedom. It will be a wonderful evening,” said David Corlew, the show’s producer and president of David Corlew Productions.
A limited number of tickets for the evening event are on sale for $10 at the Lipscomb University box office and through Ticketmaster. Members of the military and their families will be invited as guests of the events corporate sponsors. Proceeds from the event benefit Lipscomb University’s Yellow Ribbon Program and organizations that serve veterans and their families. Event sponsors and special friends include Abilene Center Conflict Resolution, ADS, Association of Army Dentists, Clear Channel, Cracker Barrel, Dollar General, Drescher and Sharp, Ezell Foundation, Military Systems, Morgan Dempsey, Pinnacle Bank, Steve Smith, Southern Events, Spirit Broadband, SunTrust Bank, Trauger & Tuke , Tennessee Commerce Bank and YMCA of Middle TN.
Prior to the evening event, a daylong symposium will focus on discussions about solutions for the transition from battlefield to home front for returning military. Dees and Arnold will be featured at the event’s plenary sessions. Breakout sessions will address a variety of topics including returning injured military and adapting to life after those injuries. Representatives from more than 25 organizations that serve veterans will participate in the event in addition to veterans and families of veterans. The symposium is sponsored by Lipscomb University and Challenge America. Admission to the symposium is by invitation only.
“This is a unique gathering of leaders of organizations that serve veterans to come together and engage in dialogue. We hope that at the end of the day we develop solutions for ways to serve our veterans better,” said David Hughes, Lipscomb University’s veterans liaison and Yellow Ribbon Program director.
The mission of Challenge America is to work with communities across the United States in linking new and existing services and supporting the development of recreational and occupational programs to better serve returning injured military and their families.
Lipscomb’s Yellow Ribbon Program offers eligible military veterans and their family members an undergraduate degree tuition-free or a graduate degree at a greatly reduced tuition rate.
