Astronaut John Young to Receive Inaugural Award



April 13, 2005 -- Capt. John W. Young, Orlando native and space pioneer, will not only receive the Historical Society of Central Florida's highest honor at a May 26 ceremony, it will be named after him in years to come.

The first-ever John Young History Maker Award will be bestowed on the former astronaut during a private celebration at the Orange County Regional History Center, an event expected to draw over 500 guests.

Sara Van Arsdel, executive director of The History Center, said the Historical Society has been planning to recognize Central Florida's most historic individuals for some time. "Captain Young has always been at the top of the list," she said. "A graduate of both Princeton Elementary and the former Orlando High School, he went on to become one of Orlando's most famous sons and recently retired as the longest serving astronaut in NASA history. The impact of his involvement with the space program links directly to our local history. We are excited about welcoming him and his wife back to Orlando so we can pay him his due."

Event chairmen and local businessmen Duke Crittenden and Charles Gray are bringing together former astronauts, classmates, politicians, Historical Society members and other local residents to honor Young during the ceremony, which marks the 40th anniversary of his first flight into space.

Individual tickets for the gala event are available to Historical Society members for $125 and may be purchased by non-members for $150. Special Patron Tables of eight may be reserved with a $2,500 contribution at the Gemini level and $3,500 at the Apollo level.

Funds raised from the event will help in part to help construct world-class exhibits and to fund The History Center's many educational programs which reach 30,000 children and countless adults in the community each year.

The History Center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Monday-Saturday) and from noon to 5 p.m. (Sunday). General admission is $7, students with a valid student ID and seniors (60+) are $6.50 and children ages 3-12 are $3.50. Historical Society members and children under the age of 3 are free. Visitors receive two hours of FREE covered parking at the Orlando Public Library with paid admission (not valid for special events). Guided tours are offered on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and are included in the price of general admission. For more information call (407) 836-8500 or visit www.thehistorycenter.org.

For more information please contact Shanon Larimer, Director of Media Relations, Orange County Regional History Center at (407) 836-8595 or e-mail protected from spam bots.





Astronaut John Young to Receive Inaugural Award