[Archived] Film Gala to launch Alexandria War of 1812 Commemoration

Thursday, April 24 6:30 P.M. To benefit American Wounded Warriors and British Help for Heroes foundations

Enjoy a special screening of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World at Old Town Theatre, 815-1/2 King Street, complete with cocktail reception, exhibition of clothing worn on the film set, and a pre-screening film discussion on Thursday, April 24 at 6:30 p.m. to mark the launch of the City of Alexandria’s War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration. 

Catered reception with cash bar begins at 6:30 p.m. and movie starts at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are $45 each, or purchase sponsor-level tickets at $75 each; $30 of each sponsor ticket will be donated to the American Wounded Warrior Project and British Help for Heroes foundations in honor of the commemoration.  

Special guests for the evening include Kyle Dalton with the Maritime Museum of San Diego.  He worked on the HMS Surprise, a modern replica of an 18th-century Royal Navy frigate that was used in the making of the film.  Brendan O’Toole, a 2007 TC William High School graduate and USMC Sgt. who served in Afghanistan, will also be speaking.  He recently ran 3,600 miles across the country raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. 

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) serves veterans and service members injured on or after September 11, 2001 warriors and their families.  With advancements in battlefield medicine and body army, an unprecedented percentage of service members are surviving severe wounds or injuries.  WWP offers a variety of services to help warriors with every type of injury—physical and invisible—and their families adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs.  Help for Heroes is a similar organization in the UK that supports servicemen and women and veterans in the  Royal Navy, British Army, or Royal Air Force. 

While war was declared in 1812, it did not reach Alexandria’s shores until 1814.  The City of Alexandria and community partners are commemorating Alexandria in the War of 1812 through lectures, concerts, a film series, and specialty tours, culminating in a free Signature Event in Waterfront Park on Sunday, August 31, 2014 from noon—5 p.m. 

To purchase tickets, visit the online shop or call 703.746.4242. For more information and a complete listing of Bicentennial events, visit the following website.