Salute to the Fallen Foundation

10/23/2026

Join Mayor Tiffany O'Donnell and many more dignitaries at this year's Salute to Service Heroes Christmas Gala!!

10/19/2026

🚨 10 Day Sale 🚨
At Salute to the Fallen, our hearts are with the families we are walking beside—and with every family grieving a hero lost to su***de here at home. Behind every loss is a person deeply loved, a family forever changed, and a community that feels their absence.
Their lives matter. Their families matter. And reaching those who are still struggling matters.
In their honor, we want to make this year’s Salute to Service Heroes Christmas Gala more accessible. Our speakers will share messages of service, struggle, resilience, and hope—and we want you in the room to hear them.

For the next 10 days ONLY:
🎟️ Individual tickets: $100 — regularly $125
🎄 Tables of 10: $1,000 — regularly $1,250

This will be our only ticket sale this year. After 10 days, regular prices return, and prices will increase during the final two weeks before the event.

📅 December 12 📍 DoubleTree by Hilton • Cedar Rapids
Join us to honor our fallen, stand beside their families, and remind those still fighting that they do not have to face tomorrow alone.
Get your tickets or reserve your table now. Bring someone you love, and help us fill this room with support and hope. ❤️

https://salutetothefallen.org/sf-online-store/ols/categories/gala

10/16/2026

Definitely look into this and apply!

Submissions are in, the committee has been going through them all. We are excited for this!! To have the ability to help a fellow veteran and their family is a true honor and privilege. It is only because of our sponsors Atlas Shingles, Underlayments & Ventilation Fairfax State Savings Bank Malachi Customs that we are able to accomplish this. It says a lot about these sponsors and how much the community, veterans and giving back means to them!

Follow us, the winner of the free roof is coming soon, you don’t want to miss this!

10/14/2026

🎄✨ HONORING OUR HEROES: A SALUTE TO SERVICE CHRISTMAS GALA ✨🎄

🇺🇸🚒🚓 MEET OUR SIXTH HERO AWARD RECIPIENT — ZACH ANDERSEN! 🚓🚒🇺🇸

Some heroes wear a badge. Some wear turnout gear. And some dedicate their lives to answering the call, no matter what uniform they wear. ❤️

Today, we are incredibly proud to introduce Zach Andersen, our sixth Salute to Service Christmas Gala Hero Award Recipient!

Zach is a Public Safety Officer with the City of Cedar Falls, currently serving as a Firefighter/EMT. With nearly a decade of experience in law enforcement and years of dedicated fire and emergency medical service, Zach has built his career around one powerful purpose: protecting lives, serving others, and making a difference.

But Zach's story is about so much more than the uniforms he has worn or the certifications he has earned.

💙 It is a story of courage, sacrifice, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to service.

Zach survived a tragic officer-involved shooting that took the life of Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Jim Smith. Faced with an unimaginable tragedy, Zach chose to turn his experience into advocacy, representing the law enforcement community before Congress and speaking out for stronger protections for officers involved in critical incidents.

Rather than allowing tragedy to define his journey, Zach has continued to make a difference through leadership, peer support, first responder wellness, and community outreach.

🏅 His extraordinary dedication has also been recognized through the American Heart Association's 2020 HeartSaver Hero Award for performing lifesaving CPR and a 2025 Award of Excellence for rescuing a fisherman who had fallen through the ice.

These moments remind us that a hero isn't someone who never faces fear or adversity. A hero is someone who continues to show up for others, even after experiencing life's most difficult moments.

Whether he's rushing toward danger, saving a life, supporting a fellow first responder, or connecting with members of his community, Zach leads with courage, compassion, humility, and heart.

❤️ Zach Andersen represents the very heart of our Salute to Service Christmas Gala — honoring those who sacrifice, serve, protect, and inspire.

This Christmas season, as we gather to celebrate the blessings in our lives, we are reminded that behind every badge and every uniform is a person who has chosen a life of service to others.

🇺🇸 Zach, thank you for your bravery, your resilience, your leadership, and your continued dedication to making the world a safer and better place.

We are honored to recognize you as one of our SIX Salute to Service Christmas Gala Heroes!

👏❤️ Please join us in congratulating Zach Andersen and thanking him for his extraordinary service!

🎄🇺🇸 Because true heroes don't serve for recognition — they serve because helping others is who they are.

Mayor Danny Laudick Cedar Falls, Iowa, City Government
❤️🇺🇸

10/14/2026

WOW… WHAT A YEAR THIS IS GOING TO BE!

🇺🇸❤️🤍💙 SALUTE TO SERVICE HEROES CHRISTMAS GALA 2026! 🇺🇸

Get ready for an UNFORGETTABLE night of celebration, inspiration, patriotism, and Christmas magic! 🎅🎶🌟

🎤 AMAZING Guest Speakers
🍽️ Delicious Dinner
🎸 LIVE Bands & Entertainment
🏆 Special Awards & Recognition
🎁 Exciting Silent Auction
🇺🇸❤️ A Heartfelt Tribute to IOWA'S FALLEN HEROES
And 1 more speaker and 1 more band to be released soon!

This isn't just another Christmas Gala… IT'S A NIGHT TO HONOR OUR HEROES, CELEBRATE THEIR SACRIFICES, AND BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER! 🇺🇸

🚨🎟️ TICKETS ARE ALREADY GOING FAST! 🎟️🚨

Don't miss your chance to be part of something truly special!

🌟 TWO AMAZING WAYS TO GET INVOLVED! 🌟

🎄 BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Gather your friends, family, or coworkers for an incredible evening!

🇺🇸 BECOME A PROUD SPONSOR! Help us make this extraordinary celebration and tribute possible while showing our heroes and their families that WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

❤️🤍💙 NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 👇

🎄 Drop a 🇺🇸 in the comments if you SUPPORT OUR HEROES!

🎅 TAG someone you'd love to bring to the Gala!

🎟️ GET YOUR TICKETS OR BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY!

👉 https://salutetothefallen.org/sf-online-store/ols/categories/gala

🇺🇸 ONE NIGHT. ONE COMMUNITY. ONE MISSION. HONORING OUR HEROES. 🇺🇸

10/13/2026

🇺🇸🎄 HERO SPOTLIGHT: HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE! 🎄🇺🇸

🌟 Please help us give a HUGE round of applause to our 5th Award Recipient for this year’s Salute to Service Heroes Christmas Gala… SSG JAKE BROWN! 🌟👏🎖️

💥 A Soldier. A Leader. A Mentor. A TRUE Hero! 💥

Some heroes wear the uniform. Others continue their mission long after their time on active duty. SSG Jake Brown does BOTH! 🇺🇸❤️

SSG Brown began his military journey in 2006, training in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Little did he know that his career would take him across the globe, into combat zones, and eventually into a position where he would change the lives of countless soldiers and their families.

🪖 FROM THE BATTLEFIELDS OF BAGHDAD TO LEADING WITH HEART!

After arriving at Fort Hood and joining the 1st Cavalry Division, SSG Brown deployed to Baghdad in 2007, supporting critical intelligence collection operations. He returned to Iraq for another deployment from 2009–2010, continuing to provide intelligence gathering and assessments that supported fellow service members and their missions.

🌍 His dedication then took him to Wiesbaden, Germany, where he served with the 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion. While supporting missions throughout Europe, he took charge of two missions to Kosovo, helping provide timely intelligence to multinational KFOR partners.

❤️ BUT HIS GREATEST MISSION WAS STILL AHEAD…

In 2014, SSG Brown transitioned to the Army Reserve to focus more on his family, continuing his service with the 103rd G2.

Today, he continues making an incredible difference through his civilian MILTECH position with the 103rd G1, serving as the Lead HRS, Security Specialist, DEERS Site Security Manager, and in several other critical roles.

But what makes SSG Brown truly special isn't just his impressive military career or the positions he holds.

IT'S HIS HEART FOR PEOPLE. ❤️

Having experienced combat operations and witnessed firsthand how a lack of leadership and genuine care can affect soldiers, SSG Brown made a personal commitment to be part of the solution.

He uses his experience, knowledge, connections, and leadership to make sure soldiers and their families feel SEEN, HEARD, SUPPORTED, AND VALUED! 🙌

Because to him, service isn't just about completing a mission…

💙 It's about taking care of the people standing beside you.

🤍 It's about lifting others up when they need it most.

❤️ It's about being the kind of leader you once needed yourself.

🇺🇸 THAT is what TRUE SERVICE looks like!

🎄✨ At this year's Salute to Service Heroes Christmas Gala, we are incredibly proud to recognize SSG Jake Brown as our 5TH AWARD RECIPIENT!

👏🇺🇸 CONGRATULATIONS, SSG BROWN! 🇺🇸👏

Thank you for your courage, your continued dedication, your servant leadership, and your unwavering commitment to our military community. Your impact extends far beyond the uniform, and your example reminds us that heroes don't just serve their country… they serve their PEOPLE! ❤️

🎖️🎄 HELP US CELEBRATE THIS AMAZING HERO! Drop a 🇺🇸 or ❤️ in the comments and join us in congratulating SSG Jake Brown on this well-deserved honor!

🇺🇸🎄❤️

10/12/2026

🏒🥅 WHO'S READY FOR SOME HOCKEY?! 🚨🏒

🎟️ WE HAVE 30 SUITE TICKETS AVAILABLE! 🎟️

Thanks to the amazing generosity of PuroClean of Cedar Rapids, we have 30 SUITE tickets to this Saturday's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders hockey game! 🔥🏒

🇺🇸 These tickets are available for our MILITARY MEMBERS & FIRST RESPONDERS! 🇺🇸

It's our chance to say THANK YOU to the brave men and women who serve, protect, and sacrifice for our communities! ❤️🤍💙

🙌 Want to join us for a fun night of hockey?

👇 COMMENT BELOW or SEND US A PRIVATE MESSAGE (PM) if you're interested in tickets!

👏 A HUGE shoutout to PuroClean of Cedar Rapids for helping us give back to our heroes!

🏒🇺🇸 LET'S FILL THAT SUITE WITH HEROES! 🇺🇸🏒

10/08/2026

🎄✨ HELP US MAKE THIS YEAR’S HEROES CHRISTMAS GALA THE MOST MAGICAL ONE YET! ✨🎄

❤️ First, we want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to our amazing sponsors who have already stepped up to support this year’s Heroes Christmas Gala! ❤️
Event sponsors

🌟 QTS
🌟 Van Meter
🌟 PuroClean
🌟 BAE
🌟 Jen Olson
🌟 Veterans Creed

Current Table Sponsor
Mayor Danny Laudick Cedar Falls
Honor And Respect LLC
Shari Risoff

Your generosity and support mean so much, and we are incredibly grateful to have you helping us create an unforgettable evening honoring our HEROES! 🇺🇸❤️

🎅🎄 BUT THE MAGIC DOESN’T STOP HERE… WE STILL NEED SPONSORS! 🎄🎅

We are looking for more incredible businesses, organizations, and individuals to join us in making this the MOST MAGICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR!

✨ SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE! ✨

🌲 Heroes Forest Sponsorships
🎁 Event Sponsorships

Sponsorship packages range from $500 to $6,000, with options that include:

⭐ $500 sponsorship opportunities (no event tickets included)
⭐ Packages offering additional benefits and event tickets
⭐ $6,000 sponsorship opportunities that include 20 event tickets!

Every sponsorship helps us bring the magic of Christmas to life while celebrating and honoring our heroes! ❤️

🎟️ WANT TO JOIN US FOR THIS MAGICAL EVENING?

You don't have to be a sponsor to be part of the celebration!

🎄 Individual Tickets: $125
🎄 Table of 10: $1,250

Gather your friends, family, or coworkers, reserve a table, and enjoy an unforgettable evening together while supporting an incredible cause!

❤️ Whether you sponsor, purchase tickets, or simply help spread the word, YOU are helping make the magic happen!

📩 Interested in becoming a sponsor or purchasing tickets?
https://salutetothefallen.org/sf-online-store/ols/categories/gala

🇺🇸🎄 LET'S COME TOGETHER TO HONOR OUR HEROES AND MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS GALA ONE TO REMEMBER! 🎄🇺🇸