Thank you to all of our sponsors, supporters, and guests who accompanied us for an Extraordinary Evening at Quail Valley on February 24, 2025. Without your generous support, this event would not happen. Without your unwavering partnership, we could not make the difference in the lives of so many. We deeply appreciate everyone who contributed to this Extraordinary Evening, and we look forward to seeing you next year. More information to come soon!
Our evening included a discussion panel of distinguished guests.
Richard Phillips
Merchant Marine, Captain (Retired)
On April 8, 2009, four pirates armed with AK-47s clambered up the side of the U.S.-flagged container ship Maersk Alabama, sailing off the coast of Somalia. After a brief scuffle with some of the 20 crewmembers, the pirates opted to abandon the 508-foot long ship, sailing off in one of its motorized lifeboats. They may not have captured the Maersk Alabama, nor looted its millions of dollars’ worth of food and humanitarian aid bound for Kenya, but they didn’t leave empty handed. The pirates had a captive: Maersk Alabama’s captain, Richard Phillips. The USS Bainbridge was the first to respond to the maydays from Maersk Alabama, preventing the lifeboat from escaping to land. The Bainbridge skipper specifically requested Navy SEAL snipers and the White House determined that SEAL Team Six was the best force to handle Phillips’ rescue…