Thursday, November 24, 2011

Rep. Giffords Helps Serve Thanksgiving to DM Troops

Posted By on Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 12:24 PM

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and Capt. Mark Kelly serve the holiday meal at Davis-Monthan AFB.
  • Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and Capt. Mark Kelly serve the holiday meal at Davis-Monthan AFB.

In her first event among constituents since January 8th, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is spending part of her Thanksgiving among the airmen of Davis-Monthan today.

From her office's press release:

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords helped serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner today to airmen as well as military retirees and their families at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

It was the first constituent event for the congresswoman since she was critically wounded in a Jan. 8 shooting. She was accompanied to the midday meal by her husband, Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain who also served as a NASA astronaut. Kelly retired from the Navy and from NASA last month.

More than 400 people were expected to attend the Thanksgiving meal at the Desert Inn dining facility at Davis-Monthan. The meal featured turkey and all of the traditional Thanksgiving fixings as well as prime rib, baked ham, shrimp, assorted cheeses and deserts.

Giffords and her husband are joining Brig. Gen. Jon A. Norman, vice commander of the 12th Air Force, and his wife for the event. Norman and Col James Meger, vice commander of the 355th Fighter Wing, will welcome the congresswoman to the event.

The congresswoman has been in Houston since January, undergoing therapy as part of her recovery from a shooting in which six people were killed and 12 — in addition to Giffords — were wounded. She traveled to Tucson on Tuesday evening to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family.

Base officials originally asked a member of the congresswoman’s staff to take part in the annual Thanksgiving dinner. But when the staff member told Giffords about the event, Giffords decided she wanted to go herself.

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