Honor The Heroes: Women In The Military

Program Overview

During the Honor The Heroes program on Saturday, November 4, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will be honoring “Women in the Military,” including Kim Mitchell, Lt. Commander and current President and CEO of Veterans Village of San Diego,  Renee Powell, PGA Hall of Famer, Founder of Clearview HOPE, and Hall of Fame Board of Trustee’s member, and special guest Hollis Burkes, Army Staff Sergeant.

• The program begins promptly at 11:00am.
• Free Admission for Veterans and 1 guest courtesy of Goodyear (all day and the entire month of November).
• Admission for Blue Star Mothers and Gold Star Families will be free all day on Nov. 4th.
• A free commemorative pin will be available for all Veterans in attendance for the Honor The Heroes program (while supplies last).
   

About Lt. Commander & President/CEO of Veterans Village, Kim Mitchell

Kimberly Mitchell is the President and CEO of Veterans Village of San Diego. She leads a robust team who serve over 2000 veterans annually by providing homeless veterans with residential treatment programs that include mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and other services and resources to include food, clothing, employment services, job training, job placement, housing services and supportive services for veterans’ families.

Kim is a vocal advocate for our service members, veterans, military families and families of the fallen and frequently speaks at non-profit and corporate conferences and in communities across the country.  Having been adopted by an Airman from an orphanage in Da’Nang Vietnam at the height of the Vietnam War, she is also recognized as an advocate for our Vietnam Veterans and Vietnam era veterans.

Kim is the recipient of numerous personal and unit awards while serving in the Navy.   She also received recognition from the Assistant Secretary of State for her work on United Nations Policies in Iraq and United Nations Peacekeeping programs in the Middle East, and recognition from the Deputy Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency for her work in the Middle East region in Foreign Military Sales to Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bahrain and Yemen.

About PGA Hall of Famer & HOF Board of Trustee, Renee Powell

Dr. Renee Powell is one of the first two American women selected as an honorary member by The Royal and Ancient Club of St Andrews. In 2015 the Scottish institution opened membership to women for the first time in its 262 year-old history as the revered worldwide home of golf. Renee is in the first history-making group of 7 women internationally selected to be Ambassadors for the R&A.

Along with Louise Suggs (1923-2015) LPGA co-founder, Renee Powell is forever esteemed with 5 American legends - Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and President George H.W. Bush who are also honorary members.

Powell was a LPGA Tour Professional competing in more than 250 events from 1967 to 1980. In 1979, she became the first woman head professional at a golf course in the United Kingdom at Silvermere near London. In concert with African embassies in the U.S. Renee taught golf in Africa with 25 trips as an International Golf Ambassador. She returned to the U.S. in 1988, working to build inner-city youth programs in Cleveland, establishing a network of celebrity and Pro-Am charity events, and touring historically black colleges where she helped attract new players to the game.

In 1996 she became the first African American female Class A member of The PGA of America. In 1999, she was named an honorary member of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Division. She also has served as development and programming consultant for The First Tee Program and in 2000, began the LPGA Girls Golf Club in East Canton. In 2001, CLEARVIEW Golf Club was listed among the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2003, Renée Powell received the PGA of America, First Lady of Golf award. In 2007, she received the inaugural LPGA ROLEX ‘For the Love of the Game’ award. In 2008, the University of St. Andrews bestowed Renee with an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) followed by a Doctor of Public Service, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore in 2010. 

About Army Staff Sergeant, Hollis Burkes

Burkes graduated from GlenOak High School in 1981 and after graduation, enlisted in the U.S. Army. Attended Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina and Advanced Training at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. She was then stationed in Germany assigned to D Company, 11th Signal Battalion as a UHF Radio Operator. In 1994 at the completion of her tour of duty she returned to the United States and began attending Kent State University, Stark Campus. 

Burkes also began working part-time and joined the U.S. Army Reserve as an Operating Room Technician. She attended Advanced Training at Ft. Sam Houston, in San Antonio Texas and at Ft Eustis, Virginia. After returning to Canton, she continued her education and part-time employment. At the suggestion of a fellow reservist, she decided to embark on a career in law enforcement. She began her training and was hired full-time in 1988.