By BARBARA BELL
It was General George S. Patton who said, “It is better to fight for something in life than to die for nothing.” While he may have been talking about the soldiers of World War II, his words ring true today and every day that we stand and recognize the sacrifices of others. It is why when you meet Michael Johnson, the Chair of this year’s Gold Star Family Dinner, and Patti Elliott, a Gold Star mother, you will understand that they are fighting to honor the service of soldiers and the sacrifice of their families within the state of North Carolina.
Founded in 1928, American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., is a congressionally chartered veterans service organization whose members are mothers who lost sons or daughters in service of the United States Armed Forces. Elliott became a Gold Star Mother after her son, SPC Daniel “Lucas” Elliott, was killed in Iraq on July 15, 2011. She currently serves on the National Executive Board of the organization and is the North Carolina Department President.
“Almost ten years ago, our Triangle Purple Heart Dinner began to honor Gold Star Mothers,” shares Johnson. “Previous to that there had been a Gold Star Mother present, representing her son who had passed away, and it gave me the idea.”
In 2020, when they hosted the dinner to honor these mothers of the fallen, a dad approached Johnson afterwards, and asked about honoring the families of the fallen. Johnson felt the full effect of that statement. He wanted to do more. He wanted to honor the moms and dads, the spouses, the siblings, and the children of the fallen.
“In August of 2022, we will host the first Gold Star Family Dinner that will be statewide for North Carolina. No Gold Star family member will be turned away, and this is at no cost to them. Sponsors will be paying for their tickets.” The grand sponsor that is taking this on is the Purple Heart Foundation of North Carolina. “If you would like to honor a fallen family member, join us today. If you know of a Gold Star family member, contact us,” encourages Johnson.
“It really is all about inclusion,” shares Elliott, “There is a whole community of folks that need to be recognized. All the veterans that came before have taught us what to do, how to take care of, and how to honor our veterans today. There are children and wives who acutely feel the loss from the Vietnam era when we didn’t really discuss these things. We want to honor these families, as well as the families from World War I, II, and the Korean War.”
“We have not forgotten what was sacrificed,” she said. “A fallen solider is a fallen soldier, and this dinner will honor the service member’s ultimate sacrifice while acknowledging their family’s loss, grief, and continued healing.”
Gold Star Family Dinner
Saturday, August 27, 2022
https://goldstarfamilydinner.org/
A special event honoring Gold Star Family members—immediate relatives of a loved one who died in military service—is the first of its kind to be held in North Carolina. The Gold Star Family Dinner is Saturday, August 27, 2022, 5 p.m. at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, 4700 Emperor Boulevard, Durham, NC 27703. General admission is $30. Tickets are free for up to three immediate Gold Star Family members. The dinner will pay tribute to and honor the fallen and their family, and includes a pre-dinner reception, presentation of colors and gifts for families.
Learn more and register at https://goldstarfamilydinner.org/
