Veterans Outreach Center Hosts Stars & Stripes Gala
The annual Stars & Stripes Celebration in Rochester honored veterans and the fallen with dinner, dancing, and a silent auction.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Awards
The Veterans Outreach Center held its annual Stars & Stripes Celebration at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, starting at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The event featured a silent auction, dinner, and dancing, with all funds supporting the nonprofit's programs and services.
Why it matters
The celebration honors those who have served in the Armed Forces and remembers the fallen. Because the Veterans Outreach Center is a nonprofit, events like this help fund the programs it provides to the Rochester community.
The Veterans Outreach Center has served the community for 53 years as a nonprofit. The celebration's fundraising total was not reported, and the organization did not release a figure for the event.
The players
Veterans Outreach Center
A Rochester-area nonprofit that has served the community for 53 years and funds its programs in part through annual events like the Stars & Stripes Celebration.
Nikki Rudd
A News10NBC journalist who emceed the Stars & Stripes Celebration at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
The details
The Table of Honor, set up every year, honors those who died in combat since 9/11 from the region, with photos shown on a screen. Gold tablecloths mark tables around the centerpiece for Gold Star families, and News10NBC's Nikki Rudd emceed the event.
Timeline
Friday, November 6, 2026 at 5:30 p.m.: Stars & Stripes Celebration begins at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.
Season Trajectory
The Stars & Stripes Celebration continues an annual fundraising pattern the Veterans Outreach Center has maintained across its 53 years in Rochester. Recurring events like this have sustained the nonprofit's services as it has grown within the community.
Residents who want to support the Veterans Outreach Center can attend future fundraising events like the Stars & Stripes Celebration. The organization's programs depend on donations and event proceeds from the community.
The takeaway
Community events are a direct way to support local veterans, since every dollar raised at the Stars & Stripes Celebration goes to the nonprofit's programs. Readers interested in helping can watch for the organization's upcoming fundraisers.
Further reading
For more on local honors, explore Awards coverage in Rochester.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WHEC.
