BROOKINGS — With both Veterans Day and Thanksgiving right around the corner, the Brookings Police Department will host its inaugural Veterans Thanksgiving Meal on Nov. 12. All local veterans and their families are welcome to attend the free meal.

The event will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the VFW at 520 Main Ave. VA Care in the Community will give a brief presentation about its services.

“We invite all veterans in our community to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal prepared and served by BPD uniformed and civilian staff. We are excited for this opportunity to show our gratitude for our local veterans,” Detective Geoffrey Pollman said.

The idea for the Veterans Thanksgiving Meal came from a conversation between Pollman, Police Chief Michael Drake, and Officer Eric Lee. Pollman and Lee serve as BPD liaisons to veterans programs and resources in Brookings. Lee served 10 years in the Minnesota National Guard and five years active duty in the U.S. Army. Pollman is a major and executive officer in the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 196^th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade based in Sioux Falls. 

Billed as “Heroes Serving Heroes,” the event is more than a meal, Lee said. “Food has a special way of connecting people. With this gathering, we want to remember and honor our local veterans’ sacrifices and service to our country. We want to help them connect with others and feel a strong sense of community.”

Lee and Pollman are grateful to the organizations that offered to sponsor the meal. Sponsors are Bowes Construction, Brookings Bakery, Brookings Hy-Vee, Kissner Paving, Kool Beans Coffee, Perkins Restaurant, Valley Restaurant, VFW George Dokken Post 2118 and Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Veterans Day, a day that honors all veterans, is observed annually on Nov. 11. This Veterans Day is Saturday.