Governor Robert Bentley will be the keynote speaker at the first annual fundraising event for Support Our Soldiers, a non-profit organization based in Hoover and Shelby County. It will be held on May 23rd, the Wednesday prior to Memorial Day. The dinner will begin at 6:00 P.M at Briarwood Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall.
Support Our Soldiers was started by Charon and Thomas Rivers, Sr. in memory of their son, Marine Lance Corporal Thomas Rivers, Jr. The 22-year-old Rivers was killed in Afghanistan in 2010 by an I.E.D. Dr. and Mrs. Rivers give credit to their daughter, Rachel, a student at the University of Alabama for creating the organization.
The Rivers family wants to thank and reward all of our soldiers and veterans regardless of which branch of the military they serve. “If they serve one branch of service then they serve us all,” said Charon Rivers.
Support Our Soldiers collects items to make care packages to send our soldiers who are serving abroad. Some of the items they collect are crackers, protein bars, tooth brushes and tooth paste, razors, shaving cream, individual packages of baby wipes, shoestrings, baseballs, footballs, magazines and more.
Their goal is to provide items the soldiers do not usually have readily available to them. “We want to give them a small token of our appreciation for all the work they do for us,” said Charon Rivers. At the same time we want to provide them with items they need, can use and enjoy.”
A barbeque dinner will be served compliments of Shane’s Rib Shack. There are a limited number of tickets available for $25 per person.
“This is a great way for people to show their support for the men and women who are fighting for our country,” said Secretary of State Beth Chapman. “With the help of generous people from across Alabama, we can make this a great success.”
For more information on the event, or to purchase your tickets online please visit www.supportoursoldiersalabama.org.