Liberty Tree Dedication & Public Service Awards (Ft. Smith)
October 31 @ 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Fort Smith, AR – The General Lafayette Chapter will be hosting a Liberty Tree dedication and awarding Public Service Awards at the U.S. Marshals Museum on Saturday, October 31st, 2026 at 9 am. The events are free and open to the general public. The Liberty Tree dedication will be part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The Liberty Tree (1646–1775) was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston, Massachusetts, near Boston Common in the years before the American Revolution. In 1765, Patriots in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree. The tree became a rallying point for the growing resistance to the rule of Britain over the American colonies, and the ground surrounding it became known as Liberty Hall. The Liberty Tree was felled in August 1775 by Loyalists.
The three recipients for the ARSSAR Public Service and Heroism Awards are:
Police Officer Kyle Newman – Law Enforcement Commendation Award
Fort Smith Police Officer Kyle Newman was critically wounded in a line-of-duty shooting on May 17, 2026 when a suspect shot him in the neck during a DWI investigation. Newman was recently discharged from the hospital, returned home and received the Medal of Valor and Purple Heart.
Deputy Sheriff Robin Gaines – Heroism Award
Crawford County Deputy Robin Gaines suffered injuries while trying to save a woman from a burning home in Dyer. Gaines said he did everything he could to rescue the woman and that he would do it again.
Police Officer Cody Douglas – Life Saving Award
Barling police Officer Cody Douglas plunged into a raging river of swift water in the middle of the night to save a drowning citizen.
The three officers will be recognized at the event by the Gen Lafayette Chapter.