John W. Pace has worked to find a new space for the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby.
Pace is the director of marketing and community outreach for Papa John’s of South Mississippi. And for the fourth year, he is coordinating and raising funds with the annual Star-Spangled Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Oak Grove High School Performing Arts Center.
Admission is free, and the show begins at 6:30 p.m.
Pace said military memorabilia is being restored in a separate building near the museum to be displayed. However, space is a problem.
“The museum has pretty much reached its limit of what it can display,” Pace said. “So, eventually our fundraising is going to kick into really high gear, either remodel or relocate the entire museum. They have some fantastic items that there is no room for. Because they are on a military base, people think the military supports them. Yes, it’s on state property, but they have to fund their efforts.”
So, Pace jumped at the opportunity to support the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum.
John Pace, Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for Papa John’s of South Mississippi.
“During a recent tour, I was shown dozens of artifacts in the process of restoration to be placed in the museum, some as old as WWI and the last known of its kind in the world,” he said. “The museum is a real tribute to those who have served our country in the Armed Forces and a wonderful asset to our state. But, their funding is independent of the military budgets, and they rely on public support to maintain their mission.”
Pace said the show has been successful for different causes.
“For the past three years, this show has raised thousands of dollars in support of veterans’ causes across South Mississippi,” Pace said. “Each year, the amount of media exposure has grown so that the partner sponsors are now receiving an equal share of over $20,000 in marketing coverage. Yet, the cost for this exposure remains exactly what it was four years ago when we started it.”
However, Pace said the cause behind the Celebration could change next year.
“I am working on a separate single project for next year that may become a more permanent event for the museum,” he said. “The first Star-Spangled Celebration helped the wounded veterans. The second one helped the Memorial Museum in Laurel. Last year’s Celebration helped the Armed Forces Top Enlisted Association.”
The Star-Spangled Celebration now has found a permanent location at Oak Grove High School working with their music department for its event, Place said.
“Last year was our first year, and we intend to keep it there,” he said. “It’s such a wonderful facility, and we’re double-lucky in that one of the Victory Belles that comes every time graduated from Oak Grove. It’s a homecoming trip for her.”
Pace continued talking about the prospective facility.
“It is just a perfect facility. It has been a problem in some of these other places having substandard equipment or having to go out and hire a ground person. So, it has freed me up to donate even more to the cause we are supporting. It is the nicest facility and makes the most money too.”
The world-famous Victory Belles from the World War II Museum in New Orleans will continue to be the featured performers at the event. The presentation by the Victory Belles will be extra special, Pace said.
“Just a month ago, I went to the (National World War II) Museum in New Orleans for the first time,” he said. “If you go to the museum and catch a Victory Belles show, it’s a 15-minute show. If you see them at these different events – they go to these churches and other places – it’s always their 15-30 minute show. The show they do for us is more than an hour-long and five costume changes.”
He said the Victory Belles do their whole thing–starting in one costume, changing to their torchlight dresses, and then they end up in their red, white, and blue costumes they wear from the museum.
“It’s a rare chance to their full show that you don’t even see at the museum,” Pace added.
Other entertainers include Gary Grubbs, star of television and motion pictures; B95 FM radio personality Andy Webb, the Oak Grove High School Music Department, Captain America and Rosie the Riveter.
Pace said he expects the Star Spangled Celebration to expand.
“It’s been a growing process for sure, but it’s been one of the better things that I’ve ever founded or been a part of,” he said. “This is the biggest thing I have founded and discovered; up until now was the Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Toy Drive for Blair Batson Children’s Hospital. I founded that, and it’s moved on to be bigger and better without me.
“I’m hoping that the Star-Spangled Celebration will catch its legs and become an annual legacy like that. It’s getting there; it’s getting to the point where people are asking me, ‘When’s your show this year?’ It’s getting to that point where it’s taking on a life of its own, and I’m good with that.”
Pace has been honored at the state and national levels for his good works. He received the Mississippi GIVE (Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Service) Award from Gov. Phil Bryant in 2014; the President’s Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award (Point of Light) from President Obama in 2016; honorary Sergeant Major (E-9) Rank by Armed Forces Top Enlisted Association (Service to Veterans) in 2018, and the President’s Call to Service Lifetime Achievement Award, Special Focus: Veterans, Military, & Their Families from President Trump this year.
Getting sponsors for such a patriotic presentation is not too difficult, Pace said.
“It’s one of the things that you can’t say no to,” he said. “The event is entertaining, and it’s entertaining for the right purpose. It’s a great opportunity for smaller sponsors. We get on radio, TV, billboards, and things like that because you are part of the Papa John’s advertising machine.”
Sponsors for the event are Howard Industries, SoutheasTrans, Keith’s Superstores, Cross Creek Village, RamJack, Bok Homa Casino, Eye Centers of Hattiesburg, Dental Centre at 28th Avenue, Madison Deloach Insurance, Keesler Federal Credit Union, ActiMed, AgUp Mississippi Ag and Arkansas Ag, Pierre’s Air Conditioning and Heat, Boot Country, Sweet Rolls, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, The UPS Store, Sleep Number, WDAM TV, WMXI Radio, KZ94.3 Radion, Magnolia Graphics, Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families, B95 Radio, Rock104 Radio, and SuperTalk Mississippi.