BIGFORK — It was a special gathering at the Harvest foods in Bigfork Friday afternoon as the Montana Legends, a non-profit in Flathead County, filled up trucks of food for veterans in need.
The Montana Legends gather at Harvest Foods in Bigfork to support veterans every year just before the holidays.
“We started it just to give back to the people that gave to us,” said Montana Legends President J.P Pettigrew.
The Montana Legends host an annual Memorial Motorcycle Poker Run for Veterans the Saturday before Memorial Day Weekend.
The Legends raffle off a motorcycle each year during the event with proceeds going directly to food insecure veterans in northwest Montana.
“We try to do it just before the holidays so all these people can have a good holiday dinner.”
Pettigrew said they partner with Harvest Foods in Bigfork to secure the food, fill up truckloads, and deliver the goods to the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry in Kalispell.
“We’ve been averaging anywhere from $15,000 - $35,000 worth of food that we give to them every year.”
This year’s donation equals eleven pallets of food, a retail value of $30,000.
“This means so much for us because it helps to fill our food boxes for the holidays and it’s going to have the stuffing and all the good stuff, the mashed potatoes and the gravy that we can use for our veterans,” said Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry spokeswoman Cinnamon Davis-Hall.
Davis-Hall said they normally serve up to 300 veterans and their families during the holiday season.
“It’s a great way to honor our veterans and give that helping hand out to our homeless at-risk veterans that need that, and the emotional support that will come out of it to, being able to have that holiday meal with their family and friends,” added Davis-Hall.
Pettigrew said the Montana Legends have raised close to $500,000 for veterans in need over the last 16 years.
“I think it’s you know overwhelming, that we can support them like this.”
