For The Greeley Elks Lodge No. 800, the free dinner for veterans Saturday night was about more than a warm meal and access to essentials, but a way to thank and recognize veterans and preserve Americanism.
Jarrod Bays was last year’s exulted ruler of the Elks Lodge No. 800 and the head of Saturday’s dinner.
“Americanism is taking pride in your country, and maintaining honor and values that have stood the test of time in America,” Bays said.
He said helping veterans is one of many causes the Elks support, and honoring those who have performed their civic duty is an important American value.
“This was part of an idea to help veterans on a more personal level,” he said.
Bays headed an application process to receive a $2,000 grant from the Elks National Corporation in March. He intends to make this the first of many annual dinners.
Many local vendors and businesses provided donations or discounts that helped the Elks assemble 40 care packages for at-risk or in-need veterans. The backpacks were stocked with toiletries, socks, bus passes or fuel cards and many other essentials, such as vouchers for a free haircut from Linda’s Barber Shop on 16th Street.
For the lodge’s secretary, Jackie Hendon, the dinner was about honoring people who helped preserve her freedom.
“For veterans, a lot of them fall through the cracks, and we want to show them appreciation. Not everyone in a shelter can go and get a steak dinner, so we wanted to provide that.”
Hendon said they expected to accommodate 75 to 100 veterans Saturday night, and was pleased with the turnout. She said the Elks worked hard to make sure veterans felt welcome, with a lodge member at every table.
Because the veterans were not asked if they are at risk, the care packages were left for them to grab as needed, but Hendon knew of two female at-risk veterans who she prepared extra bags for, complete with skin care, perfume and makeup samples.
“It’s just something to go above and beyond for these veterans,” she said.
Korea War veteran Lowell Lionberger heard about the dinner from an article in The Tribune and was enthusiastic about coming to meet other veterans and have dinner.
He was stationed in Taiwan to intercept and interpret Morse code messages from China. He later became a foreign language teacher and taught English to Japanese students, then taught Spanish at Mesa State College.
A lodge member listed the wars present veterans had fought in, from World War II to Desert Storm. When the announcer skipped the Korean War, often called the Forgotten War, Lionberger teasingly corrected him and laughed.
Honoring veterans like Lionberger was part of one of the Elks’ missions: “A veteran will never be forgotten.”
Weld County Fair royalty lays out game plan
Weld County Fair royalty told county commissioners to expect livestock shows, exhibit judging, a car show, a fiddle fest and, weather permitting, a hot air balloon lift-off at this year’s county fair.
The fair will run from July 27-Aug. 1 for its 98th year, a news release stated.
At a recent fair board meeting, fair queen Brook Mercer, and princesses Lily Helzer and Alaina Endreson, updated commissioners on their duties and appearances on behalf of the county fair.
To become fair royalty, young women submit an application and participate in a series of contests, the release stated. The contests include modeling at Fashion Revue, public speaking and interviewing.
Winners go on to represent Weld County and the Weld County Fair throughout the year at events like the National Western Stock Show, the Children’s Festival, Chamber of Commerce events and local parades. They attend monthly Fair Board meetings and provide updates on their activities.
Mercer, of Kersey, is active in the Grover Guys & Gals 4-H club and Pawnee Future Farmers of America. She’s raised breeding and market goats, which she has shown at the fair for nine years, the release stated.
Helzer, of Kersey, is a member of the Severance 4-H Club and has been a Cloverbud leader for the organization. Helzer will test out horse judging and participate in the dairy cattle project this year.
Endreson, of Briggsdale, participates in shooting sports and shows breeding heifers. Endreson is active in the Crow Creek 4-H Club.
Human Bean raises money for orphanage in Haiti
In June, The Human Bean drive-thru coffee stand hosted a guest barista day to benefit a philanthropic initiative called Project Haiti, a news release stated.
The Human Bean held guest barista days June 9 at the South College location in Fort Collins and June 23 at its Evans location. The company donated 10 percent of all sales from those locations to fulfill medical and daily needs of an orphanage in Haiti.
Customers donated medical and toiletry supplies, filling eight boxes.
The Human Bean sponsors Nimrode, a 14-year-old girl from a Haitian orphanage, the release stated. Kaitlyn Keyes, manager of The Human Bean, established a relationship with Nimrode and other children on a recent trip to Desire, Haiti. A local church organizes the trips and makes several trips throughout the year.
