The Becker Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization hosted a luncheon for representatives from area businesses and organizations Wednesday at Café Pawz at Becker Furniture World, highlighting the services the organization offers and the benefits available to organizations that hire returning veterans.

 

BYR organizer Kari Westby welcomed the guests to the noontime event, and thanked BFW owner Doug Huseby for his efforts on behalf of veterans, and for providing the space for the event.  In his comments, Huseby stressed the debt that the nation owes to returning military personnel, many of whom have physical and psychological issues to deal with as they make their return to civilian life.

 

Huseby’s BFW Charities organization is providing care for veterans in a number of areas, which include a mobile chiropractic and pain management operation which has reached more than 250 area veterans to date, getting treatment to individuals who have difficulty getting transportation to other facilities. The charity operation also includes other medical research and educational programs, a group that works to provide furnishings for individuals and families experiencing hard times, and the Samaritan Group, which provides grants to other non-profit organizations for various projects.  The BFWcharities.com web site has more information available on all of these programs.

 

Becker Mayor Jerome “Lefty” Kleis also addressed the gathering, thanking them for their support of the organization.  Other attendees included former Becker councilman Roger Bigalke, representing the Becker American Legion Post 193, President Kevin Doty and Vice-President Tanya Danielson from the Sherburne State Bank, Jodi Speicher from the Good Shepherd Community, Pastor Gerry Bass from the Oakwood Community Church and U.S. Army Master Sgt. John Jackson.

 

The Becker BYR also hosted a program Saturday morning to benefit children of military families, which took place at the Becker Community Center.