41st annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner and Children’s Charity Fundraiser

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I am pleased to forward an invitation for firefighters from across the state to attend the Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner on November 9^th at Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls. Karl Rove, former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to President George W. Bush, will be the keynote speaker. The Abdallah family has a long history of supporting law enforcement and public safety across the state. Scott reached out to expressly invite fire responders from across the state to attend. Please read below for further details and history on the event. It sounds like most law enforcement officers are in civilian attire for the event.

Chief McAreavey: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today about our upcoming Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner. As I indicated, we are always looking for ways to increase the attendance of law enforcement and first responders. I appreciate your offer to send information out to first responders at a local and state level. This event is dedicated to thanking law enforcement and first responders for all they do for our community, and there is no charge for their attendance. They simply show their credentials at the door and they are given an amazing wild game dinner along with complimentary beverages. We also give away some amazing prizes to law enforcement and first responders. Your first responders can bring a guest by obtaining a guest pass from the local Highway Patrol District Office. I believe the charge for a guest pass is $5. Those passes will be available in about a month.

Here is some information on this year’s event. Please feel free to circulate this to your network. Thanks again for your help in promoting our event to the people we intend to honor. And please let us know what kind of feedback you receive. Thanks! Scott

https://www.siouxfalls.business/karl-rove-to-headline-annual-law-enforcement-appreciation-dinner/

BACKGROUND ON THE EVENT

This year marks the 41^st year for the annual South Dakota Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner and Children’s Charity Fundraiser. While many states across the country are looking for ways to criticize and attack law enforcement, South Dakota looks forward each year to honoring these people. My father, Gene Abdallah, started this event in 1982 as an effort to show appreciation to law enforcement officers that provided assistance to him when he served as U.S. Marshal for the District of South Dakota (under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush) and later when he was Director of the South Dakota Highway Patrol. The event has grown substantially over the years and now attracts close to 2,000 local, state and national peace officers, first responders and military personnel, as well as corporate leaders and government officials each year, making it the largest gathering of its kind in the nation. The dinner is a favorite for city, county, state, federal and tribal officials from all across the United States, including Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. The event is attended by our Governor, Kristi Noem, as well as Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, U.S. Senator John Thune and many other dignitaries.

In 1986, a charity fundraiser was organized to coincide with this event. The event has now raised millions of dollars that has been donated directly to charities that benefit less fortunate children in South Dakota. This money is generously provided by local businesses and countless individual contributors.

Past beneficiaries of the charity funds are: South Dakota Special Olympics, Children’s Miracle Network, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Sue Ann Big Crow Foundation, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Ronald McDonald House, South Dakota State Training School, El Riad Shrine Burn Hospital Transportation Fund, Spurs Therapeutic Riding Academy, Indian Youth Services, Salvation Army, Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, Heartland House, MDA Summer Camp, Family Connection, Peddle Power From the Pen (inmates fix 1,500 abandoned and recovered bikes that are then given to needy kids across the state), Food for the Less Fortunate Fund, Siouxland Boxing Club, Sioux Vocational Services, and the Children’s Care Hospital.

Some of the previous keynote speakers who have addressed the charity banquet are: Former First Lady Laura Bush, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Col. Oliver North, Herschel Walker (former NFL player & Heisman Trophy winner) , Brett Favre (NFL Hall of Fame), Pam Bondi (Florida Attorney General), William Sessions (Director of the FBI), Commissioner Howard Safir (New York City Police Commissioner), Vincent Bugliosi (Prosecutor and Author), Former FBI Director Louis Freeh, General David Petraeus, Alan Page (Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Fame), John Walsh (from “America’s Most Wanted”), Captain Richard Phillips, Frank Keating (Governor of Oklahoma) and Jeb Bush (Governor of Florida). Last year’s event received national attention when Fox News’ Pete Hegseth served as our keynote speaker and did a feature of the event on Fox & Friends Weekend. Attached is a link to that story that ran on Fox News.

This year’s event is Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls, SD. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m., with a social for about an hour followed by the dinner at 6:45 and a program after dinner. We try to conclude by around 8:30. Governor Noem, Senator Thune, Chief Justice Jensen and Mayor TenHaken are all expected to attend.

Thanks again for your help! Scott

Scott A. Abdallah
Johnson, Janklow, Abdallah & Reiter, LLP
101 South Main Avenue, Suite 100
Sioux Falls, SD 57104