By DAVID HUGHES, News Editor
Heather French-Henry speaks at a political event.
Georgetown hosted a unique public speaker for Tuesday’s CEP event: Heather French-Henry former Miss America and Kentucky 2000.
Henry graduated from Mason County High School in 1992 and pursued her higher education at the University of Cincinnati School of Design, Art and Architecture. Through her efforts to increase public awareness of the challenges faced by returning American veterans, she has received numerous awards and honors. Among these are the Purple Heart Recognition Award given by the Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Speaker of the Year Award issued by Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha National Honorary Speech and Debate Organization for 2003. She was named Kentuckian of the Year for 2000 by Kentucky Monthly magazine.
Henry addressed the need for every American to assist in the struggle against poverty within the veteran population. Thousands of American veterans each year return from tours of duty abroad in need of emotional, physical and financial support. Also recognized at the CEP event were Georgetown’s veterans from numerous tours of duty. Henry’s speaking was modeled on her former speaking circuit entitled “Our Forgotten Heroes: Honoring Our Nation’s Veterans” and called for greater financial and media attention given to the concerns of returning American veterans trying to reintegrate into civilian American society. As the self-styled “every veteran’s daughter” and Champion for Homeless Veterans she has made it her personal mission to raise awareness of veteran’s issues and the patriotic duty of the American people to support those returning from serving their nation abroad
