Donated steer raises cash for Steaks for Troops Broadie says the steak feeds are very humbling experiences, as the soldiers are always so appreciative. Lynn Langvardt, one of the owners of J.C. Livestock Sales, sets up the steer that was auctioned off to raise money for the All American Beef Battalion Steaks for Troops program. He is joined by Bill Broadie, founder of AABB and Mr. and Mrs. Gary John- son of Dwight who donated the steer, as well as a couple of soldiers from Ft. Riley. By Donna Sullivan, Editor On our own, we can’t always accomplish all that we would like, but collaborative efforts can yield dramatic results. This was illustrated last Monday night at Junction City Livestock when what began as a bucket calf project for a young Morris County 4-H’er, turned into sizable donation intended to show support of American servicemen and women. Gary Johnson of Dwight donated the steer that his nine-year-old granddaughter, Haven Pearson, had shown at the Morris County Fair, to the All American Beef Battalion. The group, organized and overseen by Bill Broadie of Ashland, combines support of American troops with promotion of the beef industry by providing steak dinners to soldiers and their It takes a good-sized grill to feed as many as 1,500 servicemen and women. families. “When we started this, we realized we couldn’t feed the whole military,” Broadie said, so we think would be great, but they put three qualifiers in place. The troops either had to be getting ready to deploy, arriving then we go home and don’t home from deployment, or be in the Wounded Warrior unit. The program began on April 26, do anything about it.” 2008 and as of last weekend they had fed ribeye steak dinners to over 50,000 servicemen and But that wasn’t the case women and their families in thirteen different states. with Johnson, as he donated The steaks, which are purchased from U.S. Premium Beef at a discount, are aged for 40 the steer to be auctioned off days at Kirby Meat in Dodge City and hit the plate tender enough to cut with a plastic fork. last Monday night. The steer “By our way of thinking, a ribeye steak is the best out there and if you’re going to serve these went through the ring sixteen kids, you need to give them the best that you’ve got,” Broadie said. times, as each purchaser Broadie’s concern for the troops is born from his own experience as a Marine returning turned him back to be sold from Vietnam in 1967. He wants them to feel the support and appreciation that he and his again. By the time it was fellow troops were denied as they returned home to a country that did not believe in the war over, the steer brought or recognize the sacrifices they had made. $11,290. Donations contin- The AABB has no paid employees, just volunteers that give their weekends to travel the ued to come in, including an- country, cooking steaks and serving them to groups ranging in size from 100 to 1,500. The other steer that was donated core group is the PRCA committee from Beef Empire Days in Garden City. Local volunteers and sold Wednesday, until a Ribeye steaks sizzle on the oversized grill. and National Guard troops have also helped cook and serve the meals. total of $12,935 had been Broadie recalls an event in Billings, Montana, where they were prepared to feed 100 raised. Marine Reserves the day before they were to deploy. Their families, wanting to be with them “We were overwhelmed,” Johnson said. “It just shows the generosity of the community every moment possible before they left, pushed the number to nearly 350. “We ended up when things like that happen.” cutting the steaks down and people were willing to share so Anyone interested in donating to the AABB can visit their website at they could spend time with their sons and daughters before www.steaksfortroops.com. they left,” Broadie recalled. “I told the Captain, ‘You may be For Broadie, nothing would be better than seeing the wars come to an end, thus doing a heck of a Marine, but you can’t count worth a damn.’ It was away with the need for Steaks for Troops. But he doesn’t see that happening anytime soon. very emotional, knowing they were shipping out the next “The reality is, my great-grandkids will probably still have to be volunteering for this,” he day.” said. “It’s too bad they can’t send us old men and leave the young ones at home.” Having been there himself, Broadie knows exactly what But as long as there are soldiers leaving and returning home, Broadie hopes that they will each person he feeds will face. “When I was 18 and 19 years find the support they so desperately need. And for as long as possible, he’ll be helping to old, I was ten feet tall and bullet-proof,” he said. “But I’ve provide that support in the form of the All American Beef Battalion and Steaks for Troops. been there and done that, and it scares me for them.” He likes to leave people with this question: Which one of you out there wouldn’t buy a “Sometimes when you feed a troop, and learn later that soldier a steak? they lost personnel, you wonder which one of those young people you shook hands with might not have made it home,” Contributors to the Beef Battalion at Junction City Livestock Sales he reflected. Triple A Trucking-Excavating; Loren Buxman; Jake & Lisa Schurr; 5L Ranch - The response for the Steaks for Troops program has been Howard Langvardt; Jess Cole; Rick & Marsha Chaffee; Roger Sink; Dewey Terrill; Tom tremendous, according to Broadie. “It almost embarrasses Whitehair; R&R Cattle Company - Justin Reynolds; Grater Farms - Russel & Jason you because they’re thanking you for what you’re doing, Grater; Tiffany Cattle; Tiffany Harvesting; J.C. Harvesting & Hay; Tim Wildman; Fron- when you’re trying to thank them. They’re just very appre- tier Farm Credit; Ken Woods; Central National Bank; Hoxie Feedyards; Lyons Ranch - ciative. It’s a totally humbling experience to serve these Jan & Frank Lyons; Carl Peterson; Ron Richter; Stockgrowers State Bank; Town & kids.” Country Vet; J.C. Livestock Sales, Inc.; Clay Center Livestock Sales, Inc.; Karl, Mitch & Johnson had attended a sale in Salina last spring where a Lynn Langvardt; Randy Holle; S&S Livestock - Harwood Shawver; John Polok; Randy donated steer was auctioned off to raise funds for the All Ryff; Jack McMillan; Hoover Tarp Sales; Vernon Bohn; John Moyer; Kelly & Julie American Beef Battalion. “I thought it was fantastic, and my Zuker; Jeff Bathurst Family; Bob & Shirley Stuewe; Banahan Farms; Bruce Hedstrom; boys and I thought it would be great to be involved with it as Blythe Farms - Duane & Debbie Blythe; Geary Grain; Dennis & Julie Lilly; Strauss a way of doing something more than we could do by our- Farms; Frank Carson; and Perry Thompson. selves,” he explained. “So many times we have something Page 2 Grass & Grain, November 9, 2010 running jersey! It also sparks a lot of conversations along the course, which is exactly what we want. Recently I participated as a five-person team to tackle the Waddell and Reed Marathon in Kansas City (26.2 miles). Each team member ran wearing a Beef By Meghan Muesler, Wichita the power of protein in my jersey with the slogan, The last time I wrote I diet. “Fuel for the Finish” across When my sons were main goal in life is to not home and mind my own talked about telling your A bit of ‘creative’ messag- the front of their jersey and younger, they always cause them to move to business with you less than story. Part of telling my ing also comes into play served as a ‘running’ adver- teased me that when they Outer Mongolia in an ef- three minutes away?” story is by getting involved while running. As you run tisement for the power of got married, they would fort to have a little pri- I guess the answer will with the Kansas Beef Coun- the 13.1 miles you have lots lean protein and the impor- have to move far away or vacy. be to employ my vivid cil’s Beef Endurance Team. of time to think. This in- tance of lean beef in their The Kansas Beef Endurance cludes reading the back of training program. Out of 49 else I would be like the But then they did some- imagination and envision Team is a team of athletes shirts you pass on the co-ed teams, ‘Team Beef,” mother on Everybody thing that seriously threat- him waving goodbye to me focused on living healthy course; you did include beef finished fourth, not bad for Loves Raymond, who has ens to undermine my re- from the deck of a ship lifestyles by combining as part of your diet so you the first time the team com- a habit of popping in all solve. They gave me bound for Outer Mongolia. physical activity and a nu- have the fuel to pass many peted in a relay race! the time and meddling in grandbabies. The second Yep, that’ll do it. trient-rich diet full of lean runners. Well, it is time for me to meats, whole grains, fruits The past two half- go out and log a few miles everyone’s business.