Courtesy photo.
SANTA BARBARA — Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation (PCVF) will host its 26th Annual Veterans Day Gala to honor local veterans and active duty service members. The Veterans Day Gala will be November 4th from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at The Star Spangled Hall at the Elks Lodge (150 N Kellogg Ave, Santa Barbara, CA). The evening will be filled with live music, dancing, a wonderful meal, and patriotic presentations.
This year, PCVF is proud to present special guest, Don Nichols, formerly with NASA and Technical Director for the Space Shuttle program at Vandenberg Air Force Base (Now Vandenberg Space Force Base). Mr. Nichols has been on the leading edge of space technology and will share the exciting history of the U.S. space program.
“Our hope is to create a fun night of patriotism and celebration to show appreciation to the men and women in uniform who serve and protect our country,” said PCVF co-founding director John Blankenship.
Guests will be able to enjoy live entertainment from Los Angeles band, Starwood. Starwood is comprised of Herman Matthews (drums), Michael Mennell (bass/vocals), Gene Siegel (guitar/vocals), Bob Emmet (keys), Chuck Hughes (trombone), Matt Fronke (trumpet), Mark Visher (saxophone/flute), and led by Mollie Weaver (vocals). Hand-picked by Weaver, the band is a who’s who of professional musicians. The members of the band are friends and colleagues that have performed together throughout the years and individually they have shared the stage with many noted artists such as: Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, President Barack and Michelle Obama, The Isley Bros, Justin Timberlake, Rod Stewart, Kanye West, Neil Young, Dolly Parton, and more. Some have performed at the Grammys, the Academy Awards, on Late Night with David Letterman, the Tonight Show, for Oprah and even headlined Carnegie Hall.
“We hope we can bring some music to this event that will bring joy and inspiration to the guests and we couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of celebrating this group of veterans,” said Mollie Weaver, Starwood’s director and lead vocalist.
This event sells-out each year. Guests can look forward to mingling with old friends, dancing to a live band, enjoying a beautiful dinner, and the pomp and circumstance of the program.
This year the event will be less formal. Military Dress and Semi-Formal dress code are encouraged. Dress uniform or black tie attire is optional.
Tickets to the Veterans Day Gala are still available, $250 per guest. To learn more, purchase tickets, or inquire about scholarships, visit: https://www.pcvf.org/veterans-day-gala
About Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation — Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation is committed to honoring the men and women who have served in uniform at any time. PCVF does this by supporting veterans and active duty members, and related partner organizations, in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, as well as preserving military history and legacy. The Foundation works to uphold Pierre Claeyssens’s vision that those who have served are “Never Forgotten.” PCVF is funded entirely by private donations. For more information, visit pcvf.org