Sep 2, 2024 | By: Sydney Dick
Bemidji Veterans Home Hosts End-of-Summer Meal to Thank Staff & Residents
The Bemidji Veterans Home celebrated the end of summer last week with a walleye and wild rice feast. The Ralph Gracie American Legion, Bemidji Elks Lodge, and Bemidji Fire Department joined together and volunteered to create the meal.
“It’s just a super community event of getting different entities all involved in this between the Elks, the tribes, the American Legion…” said Steve Jewett, Ralph Gracie Post #14 American Legion Local Commander. “We want to make this a fantastic event for the staff.”
The meal consisted of walleye from Red Lake, wild rice donated from Leech Lake, coleslaw, rolls, and dessert. This was the first time the veterans home has hosted this type of lunch since opening up earlier this year.
“They want to establish traditions, and they’ve involved the Bemidji Fire and Rescue and the Elks, and just really want to build an end-of-summer celebration,” explained Bemidji Veterans Home Public Affairs Volunteers Coordinator Maryhelen Chadwick. “That’s the plan for today. So we’re really grateful, they’ve done everything.”
The walleye was cooked by the fire department on-site.
“Bemidji Fire has our own recipe [that] came from the members from years past,” stated paid on-call captain Chris Oelrich. “It is our secret recipe, so we kind of try to keep it under wraps.”
Ultimately, the idea behind the meal was to show appreciation to the residents at the Bemidji Veterans Home, as well as the staff.
“I think that the staff works so hard every day,” added Chadwick, “They’re just so dedicated to the residents that it’s nice to feel appreciated for what they do. And in addition, just the residents getting to celebrate, to have a summer dish, just a special treat to have fresh filets right out of Red Lake. So they’re excited. They have some guests with them, so just kind of a big celebration, kind of a highlight to their week, to the end of the summer.”
After the feed was done, to finish the celebration, everyone could enjoy live music and dancing inside the home with a performance by Gloria Jean.