Mandan Rodeo fans showed their support for members of the military. Rhonda Haegele (center) was among those honored. She is the mother of Mark Haegele of Bismarck, who had his legs amputated after stepping on a roadside bomb in Afghanistan in April 2011. Mark is one of the recipients of donations received at the 2011 rodeo.

Mandan Rodeo Donates $6,000 to Charities Aiding Injured Military Veterans

The Mandan Rodeo Committee has announced that through “Patriot Night” and other fundraising projects this year it is donating just over $6,000 to charities that support military veterans and their families. Checks are being provided to Soldier Angels and Service Dogs for America.

The Mandan Rodeo Committee conducted several fundraising activities for injured veterans in association with the 2011 rodeo including a live auction, silent auction and “fill the barrel” to collect cash for injured veterans.

The premier auction item was a red, white and blue guitar signed by country music artists and donated by Nightlife Music and Limousine. The buyer was Dale Pahlke of Dakota Community Bank and Trust for $1,700. The Mandan Rodeo Committee had agreed to match the purchase price up to $1,000. Other auction items included Double M Helicopter Rides sold to Neil Ness and a pair of boots donated by Justin and Walton Scoreboards. The buyer was Bob Bullinger.

Additionally, the rodeo committee is donating half the proceeds from a gun raffle that raised $3,000. The other half of the proceeds will be used for future arena and equipment improvements for the Mandan Rodeo. Winners of the commemorative rifle and pistol were were Jerome Werlinger, Bismarck, and Carrie Burt, Mandan. The firearms were donated by Gun Hutt, Mandan. The custom holster and scabbard were donated by Vi’s Gun Leather & More, Mandan, and laser engraving was provided by Dakota Awards, Bismarck.

Soldier Angels is an organization of volunteers who assist veterans, wounded and deployed personnel and their families in a variety of unique and effective ways including care packages, emergency aid and flights for military families in need, and even voice-controlled, adaptive laptop computers for severely wounded service members. For more info, visit www.soldiersangels.org.

Service Dogs for America, through the Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation and its training facility in Jud, N.D., helps veterans in need of service animals for assistance with mobility, to compensate for hearing or sight disabilities, and other challenges. For more info, visit www.greatplainsdogs.com.

The Mandan Rodeo has raised thousands of dollars over the years for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society through Tough Enough to Wear Pink activities and more recently for injured veterans through “Salute America’s Heroes” and “Patriot Night” activities.

Mandan Rodeo Committee Chairman Neil Ness presenting the patriotic guitar to buyer Dale Pahlke of Dakota Community Bank and Trust.

Rick and Pam Berge of Nightlife Music and Limousines present the guitar donated for the 2011 Patriot Night to Rodeo Committee Member and Mandan Progress Organization Executive Director Del Wetsch. The guitar was autographed by country music singers and bands who had recently performed at Prairie Knights Casino.

Rodeo Committee Holding Flea Market Sept. 10-11 to Encourage Donations for Disaster Relief

The Mandan Rodeo Committee is adding an additional charity to its list for 2011. In addition to raising funds for injured veterans through Soldier Angels and Service Dogs for America, the committee is now planning a flea market to help raise funds for American Red Cross Disaster Relief for North Dakota.

The flea market will be held Sept. 10-11 at from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the parking lot of Cycle Hutt and Gun Hutt at 3700 Memorial Highway, Mandan. For more info or to view the location, go to www.ndfleamarket.com. The flea market booths are free. The Mandan Rodeo Committee will be asking vendors and shoppers to help “fill a barrel” with checks and cash for the American Red Cross. The gifts enable the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters like the flooding in North Dakota as well as countless crises at home and around the world.

To reserve a spot at the flea market, please call coordinator Jerry Klusak, phone 701-223-4888, ext. 119. There are more than 100 booths of 10 feet by 10 feet each. Sellers need to bring their own tables, chairs, tents or canopies. Electricity is limited. Set-up hours begin at noon on Sept. 9 and all items must be removed by 7 p.m. on Sept. 11. Security will monitor the area on Friday and Saturday evenings, but the hosts will not be responsible for lost or stolen items.

Concessions will be provided by Norm’s Eatery and Mocha and More. Dakota Community Bank will have a mobile ATM on site with all transaction fees going to the charitable cause.

The Mandan Rodeo Committee during its 2011 pro rodeo over the Fourth of July raised $6,000 to support military members and their families. The committee has raised thousands of dollars over the years for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society through Tough Enough to Wear Pink activities and more recently for injured veterans through “Salute America’s Heroes” and “Patriot Night” activities. The flea market is an additional activity for 2011 to raise funds disaster relief.