Midway Patriot Award goes to Gabby Giffords, Mark Kelly

A spectacular summer evening under the stars was held Aug. 30 on the flight deck of the USS Midway, where the 12th annual Midway American Patriot Award was presented to former three-term Congress member Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut and Space Shuttle Commander Mark Kelly, for their service to country and community. Giffords represented Arizona’s 8th congressional district from Jan. 2007 until her resignation on Jan. 25, 2012, after surviving an assassination attempt that left her with a severe brain injury.

Proceeds from the Midway Gala go into the No Child Left Ashore scholarship fund that benefits tens of thousands of students from under-served San Diego schools, so they may study science, technology, engineering and math curricula and participate in overnight youth learning opportunities aboard Midway. Connie Conard chaired the gala. The honorary chairs were Ann and Ben Haddad.