Rudy Giuliani to Speak at the Peoria Civic Center

Former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani will present his keynote speech at the 118th Annual George Washington Banquet hosted by the Creve Coeur Club of Peoria on Monday, February 22, 2016 at the Peoria Civic Center. The event is one of the nation's oldest celebrations of the founding President of the United States, attracting world-class speakers over the years including Presidents Gerald Ford and George Bush, First Lady Barbara Bush, former CIA Director George Tenet, Senator John McCain, Steve Forbes, Karl Rove, entertainers Bob Hope and Danny Thomas as well as Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist and author, Dr. Charles Krauthammer.

As the grandson of immigrants, he was taught to value a strong work ethic and a deep respect for America's ideal of equal opportunity. Named Associate Attorney General during Ronald Reagan's presidency, Giuliani became mayor of New York City in 1993 and re-elected in 1997 with 57% of the vote.

Known for cutting the crime rate of the city while in office with a 56% reduction in overall crime and a 66% reduction in murders, the once considered crime capital of the country became the safest large city in American according to the FBI.

As the mayor of New York City during the attacks of 9-11, Giuliani personally narrowly missed being crushed when the towers fell. He immediately began leading the recovery of the city as it faced its darkest hour. Widely lauded for his steady hand during challenging times, he was named "Person of the Year" by TIME Magazine, knighted by the Queen of England, dubbed "Rudy the Rock" by French President Jacques Chirac and was presented with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Freedom Award.

The banquet will begin at 5 pm with cocktails and dinner will follow at 6 pm. Individual tickets for non-members of the Creve Coeur Club are $275 and reservations are currently being accepted online at http://www.crevecoeurclub.org