4th Annual Spirit of Democracy

Banquet and Silent Auction Fundraiser

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO THE MUSUEM

Saturday, November 4, 2023
Doors Open at 5PM
Osage Center, Cape Girardeau, MO

Please join us for the 4th Annual Spirit of Democracy Banquet and Silent Auction on Saturday, November 4, 2023 at the Osage Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the program will start at 6:00 p.m.

Our keynote speaker this year is Laura Rauch, a former Stars and Stripes combat photojournalist and war correspondent who captured the iconic photo of Pvt Kyle Hockenberry. She will be sharing her insights and experiences during her time covering wars and conflicts across the globe.

The banquet and silent auction will showcase a plethora of fantastic items and services that have been generously donated to support the museum. There will be food, a cash bar, raffles, and live entertainment provided by The Jerry Ford Orchestra.

Tickets are $125 per person, and businesses can sponsor a table of 8 for $1000. Table sponsors will receive priority seating, recognition on our website, and an ad in the Southeast Missourian. Please purchase your tickets by October 31.

We hope you will join us in supporting the important work that The Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library does. Together, we can honor the sacrifices made by our veterans, preserve our country’s military history, and promote the spirit of democracy. We hope to see you there!

Pfc Kyle Hockenberry, who was injured in a roadside bomb attack, is treated by Cpl Amanda Mosher, a flight medic, as he is transported by helicopter to the Role 3 Hospital at Kandahr Airfield in June 2011 Photo by Laura Rauch
Pfc. Kyle Hockenberry, who was injured in a roadside bomb attack, is treated by Cpl. Amanda Mosher, a flight medic, as he is transported by helicopter to the Role 3 Hospital at Kandahr Airfield in June 2011. (Photo Credit: Laura Rauch)

About the Keynote Speaker

Laura Rauch is a veteran newspaper and wire service correspondent whose 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 Air Field in Afghanistan. The photo captured Pfc. Kyle Hockenberry, who was injured in an improvised explosive device attack on 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. 

Rauch’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.

Banquet Registration Form

Banquet registration forms must be received by Tuesday, October 31, 2023 for your reservation to be guaranteed. 

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Please make checks payable to NSSML or you can use our PayPal Giving Fund.

Contact Details

Call Us

573-568-2055​

Address

17377 Stars and Stripes Way,
Bloomfield, MO 63825