Join us for a night of leadership, service, and inspiration, brought to you by The Catholic Dad’s Club Collective.
We’re honored to host Sergeant First Class John Wayne Walding, a decorated Green Beret and American hero, as our guest of honor at this special event on November 21, 2024. This evening will celebrate leaders in our community while supporting impactful organizations.
Your participation benefits
Want to make this evening even more meaningful? After purchasing ticket, bring an unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tots collection.
WHEN
November 21, 2024
6:00 PM – 10:00 PM
SFC (R) John Wayne Walding, born on the 4th of July, was raised in Groesbeck, Texas. He spent nearly 12 years in the United States Army, including seven years in the prestigious 3rd Special Forces Group at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. He has combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan. During his career at 3rd SFG he served on ODA 3336 as a Special Forces Communications Sergeant, and then at the Sniper Detachment as a Sniper Instructor. On April 6, 2008, John lost his right leg to sniper fire during the battle of Shok Valley. He continued to fight alongside his brothers for four more hours earning him the Sliver Start and Purple heart. The incredible story of that six-hour fight is detailed in the book No Way Out: A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan by Mitch Weiss and Kevin Maurer.
John’s military awards and badges include the Silver Star as well as the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat infantry badge, Airborne, Air Assault and Special Forces tab.
Post-injury, John attended Special Forces Sniper School and upon graduation became the first amputee ever to become a Green Beret Sniper. Using a hand crank, he went on to compete in the 2009 Boston Marathon, in which he finished 4th, as well as being a top 10 finisher in the 2010 New York Marathon. He ran the 2018 Dallas Marathon and completed one of the hardest marathon routes in the world, the Bataan Death March. All while wearing a 45lbs ruck sack.
John’s life as an entrepreneur started when he founded a custom firearm manufacturing company in 2011 called 5 Toes Custom. Unsolicited, in 2017 he was made an offer for the company which lead to him accepting the offer and looking for his next endeavor. Shortly after he founded Gallantry Global Logistics and Live To Give. Gallantry is a service-disabled veteran/minority owned logistics company that specializes in shipments of consequence and whose purpose is to provide the next mission to Veterans after their service to this Nation. Live To Give is a bottled water company that give %50 of their net profits to veterans, first responders and their families.
He also travels the country speaking to veterans’ organizations, corporations and the public about leadership, excellence, overcoming adversity using his motto “Lean Forward, Fight Hard”. John strongly believes his biggest accomplishment is marrying his beautiful wife, Amy and having their four wonderful children: Emma 20, Sam 19, Andie 14, and Hannah 11. They reside in Gunter Texas.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? Register for a table above or email W.Scott.Fletcher@gmail.com
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