Freedom Awards Gala
Approximately 900 community leaders, dignitaries and Utah Valley patriots will gather to honor individuals who have espoused the cause of freedom throughout the world. Participants will enjoy not only the inspiring stories of these individuals, but also great food and outstanding entertainment.
The Awards Gala will be held Thursday, June 30, 2011, at 6:30pm in the BYU Wilkinson Center Ballroom. Tickets for the event are $50 per person and will be available June 1 at the BYU Marriott Center Ticket Office. Call (801) 422-BYU1 (2981). Tickets go quickly.
The Freedom Award is presented annually to individuals who have demonstrated a unique contribution to the cause of the freedoms guaranteed in the United States Constitution and the traditional American values of Family, Freedom, God and Country. Recipients may be from any nation, and are recognized for espousing, establishing, defending, and promoting among God’s children everywhere those rights and responsibilities that America’s Founding Fathers believed would provide “the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”
This year’s Freedom Award Recipients are
- Elder F. Enzio Busche, emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A member of the Hitler Youth and drafted into the German army at age 14, he thought he was going to help save the world. But when everything fell apart, like his fellow countrymen, he struggled to have hope in any kind of higher power that could make the world better. After years of searching, he finally found his answer….God. And he has spent the rest of his life sharing that source of true hope.
- Joseph Banks, a B-17 flight engineer during WWII who was the sole survivor when his plane went down one mission away from being able to go home. He survived nine months as a prisoner of war in deplorable conditions and was forced to walk 800 km in the dead of winter. His story is related in the book, ”A Distant Prayer”.
- Stacey Bess, a teacher at the School with No Name for homeless children in Salt Lake City. Her story was recently shared in the Hallmark movie, “Beyond the Blackboard”. She believes those children have an inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness–even if they don’t have a permanent home address.
- David P. Reid and Steven D. Comrie, two television executives who have spent the past two years helping set up the first independent commercial television station in Afghanistan in spite of innumerable challenges and death threats. They are also now working to teach the Afghans the power of television and radio in growing their economy.
Specifically, the Freedom Award recognizes individuals who may have:
- Demonstrated unusual or extraordinary devotion to the cause of freedom and America’s traditional values
- Risked personal safety or well-being to help assure freedom for others
- Advanced significantly the cause of Family, Freedom, God, and Country in their areas of influence
- Fulfilled in an exemplary way those responsibilities which allow the values of Family, Freedom, God, and Country to thrive and grow.
America’s Freedom Festival is honored to recognize such individuals and to share their stories of inspiration and hope. To nominate someone you know for a Freedom Award, please mail a one page summary highlighting the accomplishments of the individual to America’s Freedom Festival c/o Vicki Garbutt at 4626 N. 300 W. Ste. 300, Provo, UT 84604.
Chairperson(s): Vicki Garbutt - vicki@freedomfestival.org
JOIN THIS EVENT ON FACEBOOK
Event Sponsors
