Soldiers & Sailors plans annual Cannon Ball gala

Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum Trust Inc. will hold its annual Cannon Ball fundraising gala on Nov. 9, and plans include naming the Allegheny Regional Asset District as its Friend and Patriot of the Year.

The recognition honors RAD’s 25th anniversary, marking a quarter century of support for the region’s libraries, parks and trails, sports and civic facilities, regional facilities, arts and culture organizations and transit system.

The Oakland museum is among those assets, planning officials state.

From 1998-2018, RAD has contributed more than $4 million in operating funds to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation and $3.75 million in necessary capital improvements and repairs, officials add.

“Without RAD’s forward thinking, trust and support of Soldiers & Sailors, both in our mission to honor and remember our veterans and in our staff, the entire hall as we know it would not and could not exist,” says John F. McCabe, president and CEO.

“Each year, RAD has stood behind the direction and decisions taken by our board of directors, mainly comprised of veterans spanning generations of experiences from WWII through our current service members, and has aided us in our ability to withstand economic pains and build sustaining projects and programs,” McCabe says.

The formal Cannon Ball is open to community civilians and service members. The museum’s exhibits “come alive” before a dinner, and the evening includes several military traditions.

Music and dancing caps the evening.

Details: soldiersandsailorshall.org