Arnold Community Council announces annual dinner Published Oct. 6, 2014 By Raquel March AEDC/PA Arnold Air Force Base, TENN. -- The Arnold Community Council (ACC), a community support group for Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), will host its annual dinner Oct. 23 at the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center. The guest speaker is Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. Haslam was elected as the Tennessee governor in 2010. Haslam launched the "Tennessee Promise" program in 2014 to give graduating high school seniors a chance to earn a certificate or degree beyond high school free of charge. The Knoxville native is a graduate of Emory University and began his career in business at the Pilot Corporation where he later became the president. Haslam left the Pilot Corp. and became the CEO of the E-Commerce and Cataloging division at Saks Fifth Avenue from 1999 to 2001. In 2003, Haslam was elected to serve as mayor of Knoxville and elected to serve a second term in 2007. The annual dinner is the ACC's only fundraiser and the money raised is used to support and promote AEDC. Each year the community council sponsors and collects donations for the Veterans Picnic; makes a donation to the AEDC Children's Christmas Party, provides gifts for the Complex's annual military award winners; donates to Honor Flight and sponsors receptions for visiting dignitaries. The group also travels to Washington, D.C., each year to promote AEDC. About 20-25 ACC members schedule appointments with the Tennessee Congressional delegation and key test and evaluation and ground testing officials at the Pentagon to discuss issues facing AEDC. Members of the council each pay for their trip expenses out-of-pocket. If you are interested in attending the ACC's annual event, table sponsorships are $700 for gold and $350 for silver; individual seats are $75 per person. Companies and organizations who sponsor at the gold level will receive 10 seats at the event at a reserved table with the sponsor name; 10 ACC individual memberships for one year and recognition in the program, the dinner slide show and on the ACC website. Silver sponsors will receive five reserved seats at the dinner, five ACC memberships for one year and recognition in the program, dinner slide show and on the ACC web site. Individual attendees will get one seat in the general seating area along with a membership to ACC for one year. All members are invited to ACC meetings held each month and other special events throughout the year. To sponsor a table or individual seats at the ACC's annual event, email 2014dinner@arnoldcommunitycouncil.com or call Ben Craig, (931) 639-0694; Jim Jolliffe, (937) 545-9135; Jennifer Young, (931) 455-5497; Harry Brittain, (931) 247-5417; Suzie McEacharn, (931) 728-76-7635; Bruce Shaw, (931) 308-8932; Mike Wiedemer, (931) 308-1923; or Jim Herron, (931) 455-2664, extension 218. The social begins at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m. and the official program at 7 p.m.