Farm Director, KC Sheperd, attended the 11th annual All-American Beef Battalion benefit in the Oklahoma National Stockyards, where a calf is auctioned off each year to raise funds to aid military service members and their families through the AABB. The calf auctioned at this year’s benefit was donated by 3C Cattle Feeders and the Clyde Runyan family of Mill Creek, Oklahoma.
The All-American Beef Battalion is a group of individuals involved in the U.S. beef cattle industry working to support service members and their families- both past and present. To date, the AABB has served over 400,000 steaks in 26 different states across America.
During the event, Sheperd got the chance to speak with the Senior Vice Chairman of the AABB, Jon Fort, and the Secretary and Treasurer of AABB, Cathy Blair.
The AABB shows its appreciation for past and present service members, Fort said, by serving them a ribeye steak at no cost.
“Our first event was April 26th of 2008 in Olathe, Kansas,” Fort said.
That first event was daunting, Fort said, and beforehand he wondered how they would cook enough for 450 people, but it was a great success for a great cause.
“We have been rolling ever since,” Fort said.
Secretary and Treasurer of AABB, Cathy Blair, said that each dollar raised goes directly to purchasing what is needed to say thank you to the troops. Individuals that help with AABB events, she added, are all volunteers.
“We are unique because we are serving them a nice-sized steak and everything that goes with it,” Blair said.
Each year, Fort said a 700-800lb steer or heifer is donated and auctioned off. Last year, Fort said they raised close to $62,000.
“We will finish this year feeding a little over 430,000, and we will have been in 28 states,” Fort said.
At the time of publication, the total so far is at $65,000 plus. We will update you with the final total as soon as we receive it.
