Normally, our Navy SEALs stay in the background – and that’s the way they like it. But this year, we’re proud to announce a brilliant victory for the SEALs, their families and those who support them: the successful planning and completion of the inaugural SEAL-NSW Family Foundation* gala, held on March 27th, at Charlotte’s exclusive Quail Hollow Club, co-sponsored by PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.** and chaired by our very own Alaine Bollinger.
The event kicked off with a cocktail reception and silent auction featuring many unique military packages and experiences, then segued dramatically into a stunning one/two “assault” by air and ground forces: a skydiving and ground demonstration that was full of surprises, to put it mildly.
Keynote speaker was Joseph J. Grano, Chairman and CEO of Centurian Holdings, former Chairman of the Homeland Security Council and Special Forces Green Beret.
Mr. Grano’s speech was followed by the first-hand report of a SEAL family member, sharing some of the sacrifices all SEALs’ family members endure and the critical need for continued support of the NSW community.
Special guests included four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, including veteran SEAL Mike Thornton, board member of the Foundation.
The program was followed by a live auction featuring destination and special operations packages not available to the public. The evening spotlight performer was singer and songwriter Edwin McCain.
We’re immensely gratified to announce the numbers:
– Net revenue for the SEAL-NSW Family Foundation: $376,410.00
We’re also hugely gratified (and more than a bit awed) by the incredible effort of everyone involved, and offer a special thanks to the SEALs (and their families!) for a job well done – and for helping us sleep better at night, knowing their eyes are wide open.
*About the SEAL-NSW Family Foundation
The SEAL-NSW Family Foundation is a nonprofit organization raising awareness and funds for programs that support Naval Special Warfare (NSW) families on a local, national and global scale. The Foundation’s efforts allow our SEALs to focus on training and deployment, with a greater sense of security knowing their loved ones have strong support at home. For more information, please visit www.sealsnswff.org
**PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.
The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (www.pnc.com) is one of the United States’ largest diversified financial services groups providing retail and business banking, residential mortgages, specialized corporate and government services (including banking, real estate finance and asset based lending) and wealth and asset management.
PNC has a long history of supporting military personnel and veterans, including a 2013 initiative to hire more veterans and encourage other organizations to do likewise.
