Show fF A14 Sanpete Messenger-Guriniso- n Wednesday November 24 2004 Valley Edition Fountain Green gathering features good food music and patriotism By Suzanne Dean Publisher Trudie Biggers of Davis County Republican Women helps Sgt Willie Little Family Readiness coordinator at Hill Air Force Base unload a truck full of Norbest turkeys donated by Moroni Feed Co Moroni Feed turkeys to cheer families at Hill By Kathy Lin Eggleston Staff writer MORONI— Families of troops stationed at Mill Air Force Base will enjoy the holia little more — despite the at the dinner table - thanks to a donation of 20 turkeys Irom Moroni Feed (’o and die tireless efforts of volunteers to provide quality Thanksgiving dinners he donation is Moroni Feed Co and parent company days obvious void Noibest's way ol giving thanks at Mill AFB "Moroni Feed Co represents die best kind of homegrown heartfelt thanks given to our troops and their families” said Trudie Biggers publicity chair of the Ifavis County Republican Women The Davis County women and Teen Age Republicans teamed up eatlier this year to raise money to purchase turkeys for families with low incomes on Mill AFB But now with the donation from Moroni Feed the money that was raised for can be used instead for gift certificates that (he families can use to spiuce up their holiday bird Carol Miller director of Mill's Hear ts Apart family sup- to the Hoops port program rather expected the birds but said “The gift certificates weie a wonderful surprise" Miller continued that Moroni Feed's “support to the military families during these difficult limes is invaluable and reminds the families of the support in the community and the appreciation for the job they do for all of us" But the donation of the turkeys is just the most recent stallment of Moroni f eed's commitment to supporting American troops Burlier this year Moroni Feed Co and Norbest sponsored a special dinner for families of the National Guard’s men and women who had just returned from being deployed in Iraq it “When conies to supporting military families in Utah Moroni Feed Co is a small town business taking every opportunity to help" said Biggers Not only will Moroni Feed’s donation help make the holidays a little brighter for military families but the company’s generosity could help keep Hill open through the next wave of military base closures According to Biggers in a 1995 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) review Hill AFB scored high in all areas except in community support which is where Moroni Feed’s donation comes in The Davis County women are working hard to shine light on the enormous danger Utah residents face if Hill closes Getting out the word of what has and is being done at the base for the troops and their families is an battle and efforts to support military families with deployed loved ones is taking on added meaning However Moroni Feed’s efforts may be like trying to prevent a flood by sticking your finger in the dike because these small acts of kindness remain largely unnoticed by BRAC officials The U S Department of Defense w ill review every US military base in the 2005 review of the Base Realignment and Closure process The projected outcome is closures of percent of all military bases in the United States to the UniverAccording sity of Utah’s Economic Impact Study every business in Utah and many of the surrounding states would feel the pinch if Hill AFB is adversely affected by the 2005 round of BRAC The base provides 26000 mili- tary and civilian jobs pumps nearly $4 billion year into Utah’s economy and 19 N Main Nephi 9 lo 5 Wed 10 to 8 Mon: 7 Frl: narcotics Anonymous Keelings in Sanneto i Pleasant MATR Treatment Center 265 N State 7 pm Manti 450 S 600 W pm ML Kris Burns first vice president of the Fountain Green Lions and chair of the club’s nual veterans dinner chats with the two dinner speakrs Fred Tull left a Vietnam eran and Daniel Green who recently served in Iraq Green sang mgs about military service and war ranging from “Danny Boy” to “Chattanixiga ChcxChoo” Some of the women are wives of men who spent time in Iraq Later slips of paper were passed out so the audience could join in singing the words to ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth” Speakers for the evening were Fred Tull a Fountain Green native who served at Fort Lewis Washington in Vietnam and in Germany fmin and Daniel Green Moroni who served one and a half years in Iraq and several years ago served during Desert Storm Tull said that allegiance to our country includes voting and attending city council meetings Because of America's democratic traditions we can express differ ences without violence America is a diverse country offering a “lifestyle for everyone” Tull added “We have magnificent cities — New York Chicago and San Francisco —and we have Fountain Green (He said he preferred Fountain Green) Green thanked the club for sponsoring the gathering “You’re awesome” he told the Fountain Green Lions “Thank you on behalf of every veteran from the oldest down to the present generation” IP®®® He described leaving for Iraq and recalled wondering if he had adequately communicated his love to his wife and children Other soldiers seemed to be experiencing similar emotions As the has pulled away “all The country had just been through an election he noted without riot revolt or anyone being killed He talked about the importance of the (lag as unifying symbol “It's been on Iwo Jima at the North and South Poles on Mt Everest and the moon" he noted anvet- you could hern- in the background was a faint sniffle he said While in Iraq Green wrote a ter to his wife that he didn’t send He kept it in his flak jacket and asked his buddies to get it to her if he didn't make it home The letter like much of his talk emphasized that dying for freedom does not represent a waste of a life Freedom isn’t free he said It can’t be taken for granted Nonetheless he said he was grateful to be home ‘There’s no greater place in the world” he said “than our place our own hometowns” " Uraw an uur Our long history of successful investment in this community wealth of business and offers a variety services for small and mid-siz- e gives you a experience of financial companies each LOU’S BARBER SHOP Flours: Tues FOUNTAIN GREEN— About 70 people from Moroni Fountain Green Wales and other towns along State Road 32 gathered at the Fountain Green City Hall Wednesday Nov 17 for tin evening of food music and unabashed patriotism The event was the annual Veterans Dinner sponst ired by the Fountain Green Lions Club The club launched the dinner tradition several yean ago when local men started being called to active duty says club historian June Garrison This year’s crowd included veterans of every conflict from World War II to Iraq For example Elliott Amoldson Moroni was there He served in tlic Pacific theater in World War II from A couple of seats away was Chris Cervantes Jerusalem home just six nx nths fmm service with the 1457th combat engineer battalion in Iraq The event kicked off with a meal of braised beef green salad marinated artichokes cake and ice cream Tallies decorated with red white and blue covers and patriotic centerpieces brightened the aging banquet hall As people ate and “God Bless America” played in the background Carey Ivory Fountain Green projected a video she had produced showing children in fnint of tlie Fountain Green General Store waving supportive placards as lixal men left for Iraq Later the video showed photos of some of the same men serving in Iraq The video concluded with a quence showing tiie men in family photos back home “Mom’s Night Out” a quintet consisting of Laurie Hansen Judy Beck Flise Hanson Tammy Bailey and Karla Ciximbs all of Fountain When you take advantage of our low-coloans affordable payroll services and creative financing for all kinds of ventures your business can really begin to thrive putting you in a more positive position st Talk to us today for all the facts 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