SemperComm Auction Brings out The Best: ‘Silent Stars’ Purchase Gifts for Wounded Servicemen


For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Steve Rosa, 703.923.7612                        Lara Coffee, 703.923.7608
srosa@sempercomm.org                        lcoffee@sempercomm.org
 

2006 SemperComm Gala and Silent auction
‘A Major success’
Raises more than $140,000 for Foundation

SPRINGFIELD, VA – May 23, 2006 - Sounding every bit as patriotic as the size of the room, country singing star Aaron Tippin rang out his anthem, “Where The Stars And Stripes And The Eagle Fly,” for a large gathering of military supporters at the 2006 SemperComm Gala and Silent Auction.  Conducted in the grand ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, Washington, D.C., the gala attracted more than 600 well-wishers and donors from all over the country.  Defense contractors, local and national business leaders, foreign dignitaries, members of Congress, government leaders and military brass all descended on Washington to help raise funds for the SemperComm Foundation.

The SemperComm Foundation is working to provide overseas remote U.S. military bases with communications and entertainment equipment, software and services. Unfortunately, because of their size and proximity to the larger bases, budgeted funds for morale, welfare and recreation equipment of this type are limited.  SemperComm’s services are vital to the morale of service members at such remote installations.

Master of Ceremonies Gordon Peterson, WJLA-TV anchor and former U.S. Marine, kicked off the event by bringing to the stage Linda LaRoche, Computer Systems Center Incorporated’s (CSCI) CEO and founding officer of SemperComm.  “We’re here tonight because we have something to give back to all the men and women serving our country,” said LaRoche.  “Our cause may not be headline-grabbing, but it’s important for our guys and gals to be able to touch base with their loved ones when they’re so far away from home.  When they’ve given so much for us, this is the least we can do for them.”

Following LaRoche, the program wound through the presentation of the SemperComm Awards to five active-duty service members and their representatives by U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA); a keynote speech by retired Air Force Col. Randy Larsen, a frequent military analyst for CNN and the director of The Institute for Homeland Security; an awards ceremony for the three 2006 SemperComm High School Art Competition winners; and a mini-concert by Tippin.  Throughout the evening, a silent auction also helped raise additional funds for the Foundation.  Thanks to those attending, the gala and silent auction raised more than $140,000 to help support the SemperComm mission.

“Tonight is a major success for us.  We’re quite pleased with the turn-out of enthusiastic SemperComm supporters and the additional $22,000 raised by the silent auction.  Money raised at our annual gala helps us accomplish more—a lot more of everything—which is fairly critical, after seeing the growing demand for the SemperComm suite,” said Lara Coffee, SemperComm’s executive director.  “This year’s event represents a giant leap forward in our capacity to raise funds and continue to raise awareness about the needs of our overseas remote bases.  We can’t do this alone; our friends, sponsors and partners are vital to increasing our ability to fund the Foundation’s activities.”

Partnering together with CSCI to fund the majority of SemperComm’s work are Stars for Stripes and PC Recycler.  The three organizations also collaborate to provide celebrity entertainment and equipment to fulfill SemperComm’s mission.  In addition, the gala’s organizational partner, Association for Federal Information Resources Management (AFFIRM); the gala’s benefactor sponsors, Ambertone Press, Inc., American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch Companies, CA, Inc., National Events, LLC; and the gala’s patron sponsors, Microsoft Corporation and Northup Grumman Ship Systems, all play an important role while SemperComm continues to rely on many other critical donors, both business and individual, to accomplish its goals.

“We’re already planning next year’s gala, as well as our first golf tournament which is upcoming on Sept. 15, 2006.  We hope to parlay this year’s success into opportunities and open doors for next,” Coffee added. 

About The SemperComm Foundation
The SemperComm Foundation is a charitable nonprofit organization founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases, by providing them with the means to communicate with loved ones back home and with access to a variety of entertainment equipment in order to make life at remote postings more bearable. The name SemperComm (Always Communications) is derived from the Marine Corps motto “Semper Fidelis” (Always Faithful). SemperComm is supported by its title partner, Computer Systems Center Incorporated (CSCI); its entertainment partner, Stars For Stripes; and its presenting sponsor, PC Recycler.  For information about SemperComm, visit www.sempercomm.org.

                               —SemperComm—