Snowmobile Ride To Benefit Red Bull Soldiers With Delta Company | Community Spirit

A group of vintage snowmobile enthusiasts is gearing up to send another 50 care packages to deployed soldiers.

Kevin Weitzel, of Glenville, is one of the organizers for an annual vintage show, swap and race that raises money for the care packages.  They call it Operation Vintage Pride.

The group recently sent 50 packages to Spc. Aaron Enderson, of Hayward, to hand out to other soldiers.

They've been sending care packages to deployed troops for three years.

With Albert Lea's Delta Company, part of the 2nd Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment within the 34th "Red Bull" Division of the Minnesota National Guard, deployed to Kuwait, Weitzel hasn't had trouble finding soldiers to send packages to.  

Within the next few weeks he plans to send another 50 packages to Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Dahlen, of Freeborn, to pass out to other soldiers in Delta Company. Weitzel said the hardest part of sending all the packages is filling out customs forms, which is why they send them to one soldier to pass out instead of finding many different addresses.

Popular items stuffed in the care packages include snacks beef jerky, candy bars, trail mix, cookies, peanuts and personal items like toothpaste and deodorant. Weitzel also includes donated items, like when Dick's Sporting Goods donated 100s of hats. Another item included is small stuffed animals, which soldiers have said they can use to trade with children for information. Magazines are another popular item for the packages. And one thing Weitzel always wants to include is cards or letters from people back home - he often recruits elementary-age students to make cards or letters.

To help:

• Operation Vintage Pride Snowmobile Event
• Sept. 22, 2012
• 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Mower County Fairgrounds.

Admission is $5 (members of the military get in free). It's $20 per site for the swap meet, and $10 per sled for drag racing. The event also features a silent auction with many items donated by local businesses.

For more information contact Weitzel at 507-202-1218, Karl Majarus at 507-824-2057, Jake Weaver at 507-251-2371 or Rick Weaver at 507-533-8803.