PLAINS – The first-ever Veterans Stand Down in Sanders County was received by veterans near and far in numbers close to 1,000 that marked it a great success for volunteers and organizers looking to honor and aid those who have served.

The Sanders County Fairgrounds hosted the Tri-State Stand Down on May 5 and 6, where event coordinator Billy Hill of Trout Creek made use of all five fairgrounds buildings to store and give out supplies to veterans such as boots, clothes, backpacks, sleeping bags, outerwear and food.

Other services such as cancer screening, veterans benefits enrollment, PTSD counseling and many other veteran health-minded organizations were also present and available to veterans during the event. Those few veterans that were unable to carry the things they needed were heartily aided by young men of the Building Bridges School of Thompson Falls. Like all of the other workers of the Stand Down, the boys volunteered to help with the veterans. A total of 10 boys volunteered and came from the school, and were chaperoned by Chase Hill and Nate Block. 

“Those boys have made a big difference to those veterans,” event coordinator Billy Hill said. “All the volunteers have. I couldn’t have done any of this without them.”

In the ‘chow hall,’ as the veterans called the pavilion, free breakfast, lunch and dinner were served to veterans and guests. At the lead of kitchen duties and baking were Roxanne Ryan (coupled by her three daughters – Taralee, Darcy and Karly Lang), Jackie B. Cummings, and Joan Mathers. Hill said the women had stayed up until 3 a.m. to bake cinnamon rolls, and got up at 6 a.m. to volunteer at the kitchen for the veterans. 

There were also volunteers who flew up from Texas to help out with the event. Rick Riassetto and Hank Thomas, both of Houston, were part of the chain of volunteers that gave out surplus and gear to the veterans.

“It’s been a wonderful experience,” Riassetto said. “It was non-stop on Saturday, from 8 to 2, We handed out more than 1,000 sleeping bags. Billy is a friend of ours, and when he called us up to come up here, we wanted to help. We’ll definitely be back next year.”

Over in the food distribution barn, Noxon Food Bank board members Mickie Dobson and Sharon Larkin bundled up to stay warm while serving the veterans boxes of donated food. 

“It’s very humbling,” Dobson said. “To se them. They’re very proud. A lot of those who don’t need the services or the food just came in here and talked and shared stories of when they served.”

Larkin added that the Stand Down meant more to the community as well as the veterans it served.

“This is a big thing for Sanders County,” Larkin said. “What’s great is that any of the leftover stuff – the food, the clothes – will be given to the local food banks and churches. And the veterans that we’ve seen have been so appreciative.”

“Yes, so appreciative,” Dobson added. “And not greedy [with the food]. “They were thanking us for helping out with this, but I said to them, ‘no, thank you. You’re the ones who kept us free.’”