Western Motor Beef Empire Days Parade

“Bring on the BEEF!” is the theme for this year’s annual parade. Garden City’s largest parade is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with 100 plus entries. The parade begins promptly at 10:00 a.m. For entry information visit us at www.beefempiredays.com or contact the Beef Empire Days office at (620) 275-6807. The parade is made possible by Western Motor.

All American Beef Battalion

The 2019 Parade Marshall is the All American Beef Battalion (AABB). All good deeds require both vision and follow through. Thanks to both of those, the AABB is currently in its 11th year of saying “Thank You” to those that protect our freedom at home and rid human oppression around the world.

Bill Broadie of Ashland, KS is the man with the vision. This two-time purple-heart honored Vietnam veteran believed that everyone being deployed or returning from deployment should be shown the highest degree of appreciation possible. To a cattleman like Broadie, that can be easily shown with a ribeye steak. 2019 marks the 11th year since the first steak was grilled and served with all the sides and a hand shake of thanks to the troops serving our great country.

The first AABB steak feed was held in Olathe, KS, on April 26, 2008. It was served to members of the 731st Transportation Co., a National Guard unit returning from duty in Iraq. Today the number of servicemen and women that have been fed is approaching 500,000 and the count is rolling upward.

There is no doubt every worthy endeavor requires a vision but something of this magnitude also requires great follow through. Countless individuals from the Great Plains region of the country have dedicated millions of hours of volunteer time to assist in sharing the protein-packed message of gratitude. This operation has truly become one of the greatest mobile catering units in the country.

The volunteers have served troops from Camp Pendleton to Walter Reed hospital and most every state in between. There is no group size that is too overwhelming as the AABB has fed more than 5,000 on three different times including one such feed at Fort Carson Colorado that was served in just 1 hour and 50 minutes.

While we can’t say enough about the individuals who have shown the patriotism to volunteer for this worthy endeavor, it needs to be mentioned that the cost of feeding the troops typically runs about $12/person. That money has been generously donated by families and farm commodity organizations that share the same degree of appreciation for our troops as the core group of the AABB.

No matter the size of group, the AABB has been humbled by the ability to spend time with otherwise underappreciated service men and women who sacrificed to ensure that after 243 years, we still live in the greatest nation in the world to call home – the United States of America.