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SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Rescue Mission turns 125 this year and they are celebrating with three back-to-back events.

The Rescue Mission held a sold-out luncheon for the first day of celebrations at the Oncenter in Syracuse Thursday afternoon. The event featured keynote speaker Christopher Gardner, the author and inspiration for the movie "Pursuit of Happyness."

Event organizers say Gardner was the perfect person to keynote the event because he and his son struggled with homelessness and he overcame it to find success in the financial services world.

"It aligns really well with the mission of the Rescue Mission, which is to end hunger and homelessness. And so we can share that there is hope for those that are homeless, that lives can be changed and his story speaks to just how drastically lives can be changed.," said Alan Thornton, Executive Director and CEO of Rescue Mission.

Celebrations will continue with Friday's event, Mission Alfresco, an outdoor flash mob dining experience and will end with the Rescue Mission Block Party on Saturday that's free to the public.