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By Angie Weidel, Executive Director, ASA Baton Rouge The Louisiana Patriot Shootout and Gala is an event that supports Folds of Honor, a national organization dedicated to providing scholarships for the children and spouses of soldiers killed or disabled during their military service. The Patriot Shootout is a golf tournament hosted by one of the premier golf clubs in Baton Rouge, University Club, and draws regional business owners and philanthropists. The gala is a ceremony and silent auction held on the evening before the shootout, when the scholarship recipients are announced and the scholarship donors are presented to the community. Back in 2014 I was asked at the last minute to fill in to sing the National Anthem at the Gala on a Sunday night, and then again at the golf tournament the following Monday. I didn’t know at the time but two business associates of mine who knew that I had a background in vocal music were on committees with this event and they both reached out to me. I said yes, and seven years later I’m knee deep and loving every minute. In 2020, when I became the Executive Director of the ASA Greater Baton Rouge chapter, the company that had previously been part of an additional fundraiser at the Shootout was no longer able to participate. I jumped at the chance to promote ASA at this event that I’d grown to love so much. We were able to raise an additional $2,000 for Folds of Honor. In 2021, I wanted to go even bigger. Thanks to several board members and a couple of enthusiastic women in our chapter, we were able to do a lot more, both for ASA and for the Patriot
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