Jenna Ridgeway
“Honoring our Veterans” was the theme of our November Republican Club’s Awards Banquet. This is such a special time to respect those who served to keep our nation safe. This year’s PCRC “Veteran of the Year” is Chuck Streeter, Army. Chuck has done so much for our club and for our country, we appreciate his patriotism. We are proud to have 133 veterans from all branches of the service, as members of our club. A tribute for those servicemen killed or missing in action or were prisoners of war was displayed with the Missing Man Table.
Continuing with the theme, after a delightful dinner, the club heard from Colonel Richard Toliver USAF, RET, about the origins of the Tuskegee Airmen, the renowned first African–American military pilots who fought in WWII and how he was one of the first F-4 pilots serving under the command of General Daniel “Chappie” James. Toliver stated that he personally had flown 855 combat missions. He spoke about the accomplishments of the Tuskegee airmen and how many of them eventually wound up at Luke Air Force Base in 1945. An author about his experiences, Toliver has written, “An Uncaged Eagle: True Freedom” and “Black Wings Over Arizona” about how they paved the way for desegregation in the armed services through the “Power of FEAR”—Faith, Education, Attitude, and Relationships.
Col. Toliver also spoke about celebrating with Major Fannie McClendon on her 106th birthday. She was instrumental in the The “Six Triple Eight,” a U.S. Army Women’s Army Corps unit comprising 855 Black women, who played a pivotal role in World War II. Their mission was to clear a massive backlog of mail for American service members stationed in Europe. They sorted and rerouted an average of 65,000 pieces of mail per shift, working 24/7 until the task was accomplished. The battalion’s motto, “No mail, low morale,” reflected their unwavering dedication to their mission. In recognition of their remarkable contributions, they were officially honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2022.
Our Republican Club also sponsors two other patriotic causes. The first being “Honor Flight” where this year’s recipient, Navy veteran Charlie Rice, was sent to Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4 for three days of honor and remembrance to his service’s memorials, at no cost to him.
The 2nd cause is the U.S.Vets-Phoenix. This organization delivers multiple services to at risk veterans, helping them with dignity and independence. Their mission: Getting homeless vets into sustainable housing along with support services. We are collecting gift cards to be given to resident veterans in their program. If you are interested in contributing a gift card, please contact Vicki Streeter at streeter@greencafe.com.
PCRC Men’s Breakfast Club: Tuesday, Dec.9, 8:30 a.m., Eagle’s Nest dining room. RSVP to Chuck Streeter, streeter@greencafe.com
PCRC Women’s Luncheon: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 11:30 a.m., Eagle’s Nest dining alcove. Seating is limited to a maximum of 20. RSVP to Vicki Streeter. streeter@greencafe.com.
Remember to fly your flag!