Herpich Herefords donates steer to All-American Beef Battalion for troops’ benefit

As American soldiers peer out of the windows on airplanes bringing them home from the war on terror overseas, the American flag standing erect on U.S. soil never looked so good. Stepping off the plane, family members race to greet them and hug them in a firm embrace. Also waiting these newly reunited families is the All-American Beef Battalion (AABB), grilling up some sizzling ribeyes – a steak dinner fit for American war heroes.

“The purpose of the AABB is to organize and sponsor steak feeds, entertainment, programs, meetings, and projects with the troops and their families, to encourage and assist them in any reasonable manner and to foster among the people of the U.S. an appreciation, respect, and honor for our Armed Forces Military Service Members whose sacrifices have and will continue to make our freedoms possible,” said AABB founder, Vietnam war veteran and Kansas cattle man Bill Broadie.

To date, the AABB has served more than 55,000 soldiers and their families – a pretty big accomplishment considering the group consists of all volunteers and most donations come from cattle producers from across the country.

One of these donations recently came from Herpich Herefords from White City, KS. The Herpich family donated a 745-lb. steer to the AABB in an effort to raise money for upcoming steak feeds. The steer was auctioned off on Jan. 7, 2011 at the Manhattan Commission Company (MCC) located in Manhattan, KS. The animal sold for $125.50/cwt., bringing the grand total of donations to $934.98, a gift that will help fund the AABB and their mission to thank troops with steak feeds across the country.

Along with Herpich’s generous donation, an additional 32 ranchers and businessman brought the total to $5,675 the day of the auction.

“The support of the Herpich family and the area businesses is greatly appreciated,” said Broadie of the donations. “These steak feeds offer us a chance to thank the men and women who sacrifice so much to protect our freedoms. It’s also a great way to promote U.S. beef. We are so thankful for their support.”

The next steak feed will be held in February at Fort Hood and will serve close to 5,000 Service Members. The beef will be provided by Creekstone Farms Premium Beef, who has generously donated all of the ribeyes for the event. Broadie and his crew at AABB were shocked by the large donation given by Creekstone, but Jim Rogers, executive vice president for the company, believes it’s just a small way to say thanks.

“We were very excited to get involved with this project,” said Rogers. “We donated 5,000 steaks, and although that’s a lot of beef, it’s really a small token of our appreciation for the great sacrifices these men and women have made to protect our freedoms and allow us to continue to do what we do here in the U.S.”

Creekstone is a specialty beef processor of Black Angus beef. Located in Arkansas City, KS, Creekstone sells a wide variety of branded fresh beef as well as value-added products such as burgers, deli meats and fully-cooked entrees. Creekstone also markets an “All Natural” product line featuring Black Angus beef that has been raised without the use of supplemental hormones or antibiotics. Products are sold to regional supermarkets and high-end restaurants in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

“This huge donation from such a large agri-business just floored me,” added Broadie. “They are donating 100 case of bone-out ribeyes. I know this upcoming event is going to be a great one! It’s truly a rewarding experience to thank our troops, and our partnership with Creekstone helps to make a big impact and serve a lot of great men and women. Of course, there are still many soldiers who need a thank you, and the donations from farmers and ranchers truly make a difference in keeping our organization afloat.”

Those who want to learn more about the AABB, find out details on how to have a steak feed or make a monetary donation can visit the AABB Web site at http://www.steaksfortroops.com.