7TH ANNUAL HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR EVENT A HUGE SUCCESS

Gideon Frieder was the seventh Holocaust survivor speaker to share his story in Central Arkansas in the past seven years at a series of events hosted by the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton and the University of Central Arkansas. During his two days in Morrilton and Conway, Frieder spoke to three groups totalling more than 1,700 people.

Gideon Frieder spoke to 900 students at MHS March 10.

The event is coordinated each year by UACCM and UCA through the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Frieder is a survivor volunteer at the museum. For his first appearance in Central Arkansas, Frieder spoke at UCA's Farris Center to an estimated 600 attendees.

Due to the overwhelming interest in bringing students from surrounding counties to hear the Holocaust speaker each year, the South Conway County School District and Morrilton High School allow UACCM to host a daytime event at H.B. White Auditorium. For the past several years, the auditorium has been at full capacity with 900 students and teachers in attendance.

For the daytime event in Morrilton on March 10, attendees represented 10 schools and four counties as well as several individuals from surrounding areas. Frieder spoke with students after his presentation and took a photo with each group. UACCM would like to thank the SCCSD and MHS for allowing the continued use of the facility for the event, for providing assistance with sound and event set-up, and for working closely with the college to make the event possible each year.

Holocaust Survivor Gideon Frieder, center, personally thanked
Beryl Wolfson of Hagarville, from left, A.O. Thompson of Cleveland,
and Ray Faulk of Morrilton for their service during World War II.

The evening event on March 10 neared capacity of the Fine Arts Auditorium at UACCM with 240 attendees. Frieder stayed after the event for photo opportunities and to speak with guests, including three World War II veterans who participated in the liberation of Holocaust victims. Frieder thanked them for their service and proclaimed them heroes. Many people from the Morrilton area attended the event as well as a large representation from surrounding counties.

UACCM would like to thank everyone who attended one of the Holocaust survivor events. For information on next year's event, look for dates and information to be posted next spring to www.uaccm.edu.