Corrections_Today_November_December_2021_Vol.83_No.6

ACA’s General Session

The transformation of lives through correction Tennessee Governor Bill Lee shares personal experience with corrections at ACA General Assembly E xhibit Hall D of the spacious Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee was buzzing as the 151 st Congress of Correction

General Session, sponsored by Aramark and Falcon, kicked off. Eager corrections professionals from all over the globe picked up their special commemorative coin as they entered the room. There wasn’t an empty seat in the house when the strains of the national anthems of Canada and Mexico began echoing across the hall. ACA Deputy Executive Director Jeffrey Wash- ington began the proceedings by introducing the Correctional Peace Officers Foundation tribute video for corrections officers who passed away over the previous year. He then introduced ACA’s own tribute video to correction officers lost to CO - VID-19 in the past year and to ACA members who have passed in the past year.

Governor Bill Lee

Sheriff’s Office accompanied by saxophonist Sheldon Thomas of the IT Department of the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office who performed a beautiful rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner”. Deacon Joseph Tomandl of the American Correctional Chaplains Association delivered the invocation by asking us to “be a source of hope for those in need and a source of consolation for those who are hurting.” Parker welcomed the assembled corrections professionals to his home state of Tennessee and had the honor of introducing the Executive Committee, distinguished guests and all of ACA’s Past President’s who were warmly acknowledged by the crowd.

151 st Congress of Correction ACA’s Executive Committee and distinguished guests entered to the sounds of “Rocky Top” one of Tennessee’s 10 state songs and closely identi- fied with the University of Tennessee “Pride of the Southland” Marching Band. The standing room only crowd rose as the

presentation of the colors began, led by a contin- gent of bagpipers in kilts followed by uniformed officers from the Davidson County Sheriff’s office, the Shelby County Sherriff’s office and the Ten - nessee Department of Correction. President Tony Parker introduced vocalist Lindsey Forbes of the Records and Offender Information Department of the Davidson County

44 — November/December 2021 Corrections Today