SixSeeds, a founding supporting partner of Guard Support, will donate $5 for each comment posted in response to their recently published Guard Support article online. To comment, click on the article link and write your comment in "Comments" section.

Guard Support sponsored the Third Annual Veterans' Ball held at Union Station in Worcester, Mass. on November 6, 2010. Approximately 600 Guard members and guests attended. This is

State Command Sergeant Major David Costa (right) greets Command Sergeant Major Raymond F. Chandler (left), 19th Commandant, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, keynote speaker at the 2009 Veterans Ball, who spoke about Leading the Non-Commissioned Officer. Photo courtesy of U.S. Army

our third year of sponsoring this event.

Our sponsorship provided complimentary tickets for enlisted Massachusetts Guard soldiers and airmen who may not have been able to attend without our support.

On behalf of Guard Support, Michael Finer, a lieutenant colonel is the Mass. National Guard and Guard Support Board member addressed the audience.

Michael Finer remarked that "the Massachusetts National guard is deploying over 3,000 soldiers and airmen this year and Guard Support has been at the forefront of supporting our soldiers, especially those who are deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Our organization has raised several hundred thousand dollars over the past four years in support of families, financial relief, deployed soldiers and the entrepreneurship program. We have supported the overseas combat internet program and busses from deployment sites to home as well as financial relief.

During the biggest deployment of soldiers and airmen since WWII, Guard Support is working incredibly hard to support our deployed service members and their families in 2011, which will be the most challenging year since the War on Terror began."

Peter Kelly, proprietor of Murphy's Restaurant & Pub is donating event space at his establishment, as well as food for the event. 

Event volunteers John Walkup and Darlene Louf, both residents of the North Shore, are donating their time and talents to coordinate this fundraiser for Guard Support.

John Walkup, an enlisted member of the Mass. National Guard is the owner of Soulo Productions, which provides DJ and entertainment services. He is trying to restart his business after an injury sustained during National Guard training prevented him from being able to run his business. Darlene Loup is the founder of Voices for the Troops facebook page. She is an amateur singer who likes to perform to raise money for charities and causes.

Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online in advance of the event. For more information click here.