A veterans event that started in Fort Dodge last year is ready for a second round Saturday.
Waterloo native, and Jeremy Frisbee, came up with the idea for the veterans barbecue, where they get together, eat, and learn. “Talking about resources, give them information about mental health you know, the burn pit registries, and whatever information that was prevalent a last year, about this time and what they need help with to better themselves in their families,” he says. Frisbee is a Navy Veteran and disabled veteran career planner in the Iowa Workforce Development office.
Things started without much publicity and they had around 120 veterans attend. Frisbee says their review of the service agencies who attended found the event was a success. “We did a post a post meeting, and they’re getting more referrals and stuff like that of people needing help with their services like mental health and stuff like that,” he says. “It was just it was good to get the people the help that they needed.” He says with more publicity they are expecting a bigger turnout at Terry Moehnke Veterans Park for this year’s event.
“This is all Iowa event– it is not just for the for the Fort Dodge area,” he says. “If you’re in Des Moines, Keokuk, Spencer, I want you to come and enjoy this day because this is a day about every veteran and their families and trying to help each other and get some camaraderie.” He says veterans like that it is a non-alcoholic, family-oriented event.
“We talk and laugh and lie, and tell war stories and just get together and have a good time and you never know,” Frisebee says. “Fun fact. Last year I met a sailor, former Navy folks that I was stationed with years ago and I didn’t realize that until we got to talking in Fort Dodge Iowa, so that’s how small the military can be.” Frisbee says it is worth it just for a visit to Terry Moehnke Veterans Park. The park was named after Moehnke, a Navy veteran and local optometrist who had seen other parks across the country honoring the military and wanted to create one in Fort Dodge.
“He spent a lot of money to put this part together for the veterans and putting up monuments and stuff like that, that was his passion for what he wanted to do. And even though he’s having some illness now he still goes out there and tries to take care of the stuff,” Frisbee says.
Frisbee says the veterans tell Moeknke they will take care of the park. The veterans event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday and runs until 1 p.m.