Dear Minot:
Minot has been home to Minot Air Force Base and its personnel for more than 60 years. We’ve watched as the bond between our city and the base has grown to make Minot one of the most Air Force-friendly communities in the nation.
That relationship takes hard work, and it takes constant collaboration from our City, our residents, and our military members and leaders. But the results are worth the effort: The base contributed an astounding $595 million to our regional economy in 2022.
As Minot residents, we want our friends at Minot Air Force Base to feel welcome, to know that they belong in our community, and that we’re here to support them in good times and during stressful situations. That’s especially true for the young airmen who temporarily call Minot home because it might be the first time these young men and women have spent any extended time away from home, friends, and family.
That’s why the Home for the Holidays program is so important. The program raises funds through a variety of methods, including selling corporate tables at the annual Prairie Warrior Association Auction. That money is then used to send young airmen home to visit their families for the holidays.
This year, we’ve created another way to raise even more money, thanks to an amazing partnership with Magic City Beverage and Budweiser. The local distributor and corporate office purchased a beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycle that will be raffled off, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the Home for the Holidays program. Our goal is to raise $150,000 by selling 3,000 raffle tickets at $50 apiece.
I’m confident that our community will rally and help us achieve our goal, and I’m looking forward to announcing the winner of the motorcycle on Sept. 15 outside City Hall in downtown Minot. Then we’ll present the bike to the winner, and hopefully present a $150,000 check to the Home for the Holidays program, during military appreciation day at Norsk Hostfest on Sept. 30.
But the Home for the Holidays program isn’t the only way our community members show their support for our neighbors to the north.
The annual Prairie Warrior Association Auction works to bring military personnel and civilians together for a great cause. The funds raised by the auction helps support the base’s competition teams, squadron activities, annual banquets, and Operation Warmheart, a program that provides essentials including food and clothing to needy service members and their families. It’s a fabulous event, and for years has been one of the nights that showcases the strong bond between Minot and Minot Air Force Base.
Throughout the year, there is a long list of military appreciation days at some of the largest events hosted in Minot to help show community support for the 12,000 people who make up Minot AFB, including personnel, family members, and civilian employees.
Roosevelt Park Zoo’s Military Day has expanded in recent years, and now includes free admission to not only the zoo, but also to the Roosevelt Park Pool and Souris Valley Golf Course. The event is made possible by a collaboration with the Minot Park District and the Minot Chamber EDC. More than 1,300 people attended the zoo’s most recent Military Day, and the event continues to grow in popularity.
The North Dakota State Fair hosts an annual military day that includes reduced admission to the Fair, a free picnic and free carnival rides. The Norsk Hostfest also hosts a military appreciation day where military personnel are admitted to the festival for free.
All of these efforts are intended to showcase the important relationship between Minot and the base. We want military members and their families to be part of our community while they’re serving and protecting our great nation, and we want them to eventually settle in Minot when they leave the service or retire. In fact, the Minot area is already home to more than 1,400 military retirees from all the service branches.
In addition to helping maintain peace around the globe, the men and women of Minot AFB have been an integral part of our community for decades. We all know someone who is an active or retired military member, or is a spouse or child of a military member. At the City of Minot, we are proud of the relationship we’ve built with Minot AFB, a relationship that fosters pride, camaraderie, and respect. Minot would not be the community it is today without the influence of those who call Minot AFB and Minot home during their military service. Thank you for everything you do.
You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.