Cattlemen let overseas-bound soldiers know they're much appreciated

By CRAIG REED
For the Capital Press

Troops headed for Afghanistan have not been leaving hungry.

Many have been treated to a steak barbecue sendoff courtesy of the All American Beef Battalion, a nonprofit organization that was the idea of Bill Broadie of Ashland, Kan., a fourth-generation cattleman who served with the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam in 1967.

Nonprofit status was secured in August 2007, and soon the organization started receiving donations from people in support of the idea of promoting American beef while thanking soldiers for their sacrifices.

The group hosted its first steak feed on April 26, 2008, in Olathe, Kan. Over the next year, the organization fed steaks to 10,000 service members and their families at numerous barbecues.

Last summer, Country Natural Beef spearheaded the first cookout in the Northwest, for troops at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Broadie and his wife, Linda, traveled from Kansas to Fort Lewis to help.

"You serve us 365 days a year. We can serve you for one," Broadie said in a brief statement at the event.

The cooperative of about 100 ranch families, most of them in Western states, donated 320 pounds of sirloin strip for a cookout for the soldiers.

The cooperative partnered with New Seasons Markets of Portland, which donated salads, juice and volunteers; Whole Foods, which provided a barbecuing crew; and Town and Country Markets of Seattle, which donated rolls, butter, cookies, bottled water and more volunteers.

About 20 volunteers from the four contributing businesses prepared and served the food for the 571st Military Police Company to 375 people that included soldiers and their families.

"It reminded you of the loaves-and-fishes story (in the Bible)," said Maureen Krebs of Krebs Livestock in Ione, Ore. "We were told to anticipate 250 people, but we regrouped on the food when we saw there were more, and it came out just perfect to serve everybody, including the servers."

"It was a pleasure to do this event because nobody said no," said Krebs, who coordinated the event.

"It was a very worthwhile venture," said Roger Ediger, who helped at the event with his wife, Meredith. They are CNB members and own the Box T Ranch near Mount Vernon, Ore. "What was very humbling for me was that as we were cleaning up the tables and putting stuff away, an inordinate number of young men and young women sought us out individually and thanked us again."

"It was a gesture of appreciation to these people for what they're going to do," Meredith Ediger said.