Speakers series features member of ‘Black Hawk Down’ mission

COOK MEDIA / COURTESY PHOTO Keni Thomas (on the far left) in his Army days. The public is invited to attend a special motivational presentation at the Burroughs Home on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The special program will feature Keni Thomas, a University of Florida graduate and an accomplished country singer and recording artist, who received the Bronze Star for Valor for his Army company’s mission in Mogadishu, Somalia.

“Salute to Valor: A Soldier’s Story” is being offered as part of the Legacy Speakers Series by the Uncommon Friends and Hope HealthCare Services. The special program begins with a buffet dinner under the oak trees at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Color Guard presentation at 6:45 and the speaker introduction by Major General (Ret.) James L. Dozier. Mr. Thomas’s presentation will begin at 7 p.m. The Burroughs Home is at 2505 First Street, Fort Myers.

The Mogadishu mission of Mr. Thomas and his Army colleagues was detailed in the best-selling book and movie, “Black Hawk Down,” which chronicles the ill-fated 18-hour firefight that led to the tragic deaths of 19 American soldiers. Mr. Thomas’s experiences led him to become a nationally acclaimed motivational speaker who stresses the importance of values, teamwork and leadership in his presentation, which is a story of heroism and much more.

Tickets for the dinner and program are $135. Speaker tickets only are $30. Florida Gators, veterans and groups of eight will receive a 20 percent discount. Proceeds will benefit both Hope HealthCare Services and the Uncommon Friends Foundation. To order tickets, call 656-3260.

The Uncommon Friends Foundation, established in 1993, is a character-education foundation whose mission is to instill ethics, moral values and a sense of purpose in tomorrow’s leaders. The foundation is dedicated to enriching society by promoting the positive values author James D. Newton discovered in five unique men and their wives: Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, Dr. Alexis Carrel, and Charles Lindbergh, intellectual giants who helped shape the 20th century.

Hope HealthCare Services is a nationally recognized leader in providing highquality, innovative care in the home care industry for patient care.

Additional information about the Uncommon Friends Foundation may be obtained by calling 337-9505 or visiting www. uncommonfriends.org. 