Hey folks, whether you’re one of the regulars pitching in at the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry up in Kalispell, or a first time visitor, if you’ve been hauling boxes and brewing coffee for these events longer than you can remember, or if this is the first time the pantry has grazed your vision, you will love the annual Veterans StandDown we host. I know enough to know that some weekends just stick with you, the kind that leave you grinning through the mud and the drizzle. That’s exactly how I felt coming home from the 26th Annual Libby Stand Down on October 4 and 5. If you’ve ever wondered what community looks like when it rolls up its sleeves for our vets, this was it, raw, real, and rewarding in ways that words barely touch.
Picture this: the Libby Memorial Events Center buzzing under a steady Montana rain, tents flapping like old war flags in the wind. Volunteers had been at it since dawn both days, setting up rows of tables piled high with everything from wool socks to winter coats. By noon on Saturday, the line of veterans snaked out the door, folks from all corners of Lincoln County and beyond, some driving down from Eureka or in from Troy; even more took busses from the Flathead. Hundreds walked away with bags stuffed full of clothing, the kind of practical gear that turns a chilly fall into something survivable. I lost count after I ran out of fingers and toes, but let’s just say the surplus we started with? It vanished faster than hot stew on a cold morning.
What gets me every year, and hit extra hard this time, was how the food flew out the door. We rolled in with enough pantry staples for a solid weekend: canned goods, rice, beans, the basics that keep a household going. But by late afternoon Saturday, every last box was claimed. No leftovers, just grateful nods and quick “thanks” as families loaded up. So we scrambled Sunday morning, calling in favors from volunteers to truck in a fresh batch. And wouldn’t you know it, that went too, right down to the final loaf of bread. In total, 111 food boxes were distributed. It’s a reminder of how tight things can be out here in the woods, where a full pantry means one less worry come payday.
The haircuts, though? Pure magic. Shout-out to the team from Sportcuts in Kalispell who set up shop under roof of the Libby Memorial Events Center, snipping well over 80 veterans in need. They weren’t just clipping ends; they were trimming beards, shaping up fades, and swapping stories that had everyone chuckling through the snip-snip. One vet I chatted with, a quiet guy from the ‘Nam era, said it was his first fresh trim in two months, felt like a reset button, he told me, eyes crinkling at the corners. Those folks worked straight through lunch, no complaints, and the line for their chairs never dipped. It’s those little dignities that make the whole thing hum.
Folks that come from Eureka, from Missoula, from the Swan Valley, we have folks that come from Spokane, we have a handful of veterans who come from Arizona, Colorado, Utah, so they come from out of state, just to come to this specific veteran service
-Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry CEO Pamela Koller
And let’s not forget the young bucks from the Boy Scouts who showed up like a well-oiled squad. Rain or no rain, and trust me, it was rain Sunday (some happy tears and some from the weather), they were everywhere: loading surplus onto the dock, handing out surplus boxes with that earnest scout grin, even wrestling tents down without a grumble. I watched a troop of them, pack pallets like pros while others worked on catching the last few vets and ensuring they had warm gear on Sunday. One gentleman quipped up and said he thought they’d learned more about pitching in that weekend than any badge could teach. Kids like that? They’re the thread holding this place together.
Of course, none of it happens without the backbone of the operation. Allen and Linda Erickson, the couple who kicked off the Stand Down back at the dawn of the 21st century, got a proper nod this year with a cake big enough to feed half the hall, layers piled high, presented right there in the main entry room amid cheers and backslaps. Lynn and Bonnie Ogle, Veteran StandDown co-founders, were there, hustling as well, keeping this well oiled machine running. Two-and-a-half decades in, and they’re still the first ones there, making sure every vet who needs a hand up gets one. It’s folks like them, and the volunteers who flood in from Lincoln County and beyond, that turn a good idea into something legendary. Our own pantry crew was out in force too, dishing up hot meals and connecting guys to VA benefits they didn’t even know about.
Scrolling through the posts after, you could feel the echo of it all. Our pantry’s feed captured it spot on: “Veterans from all walks of life showed up in leagues… What an amazing event. Thank you to all of our volunteers and providers who made this weekend a success!” Another wrapped it up with a big thank-you to the Memorial Center for the space and a local helper named Joe Dolio for his hustle behind the scenes. Even the promo posts from before had that spark, folks tagging friends to volunteer or just show up, turning a call for help into a rally cry.
Looking back, this Stand Down wasn’t just about the stuff we handed out. It was the conversations in line, the shared thermos of coffee under dripping eaves, the way a stranger’s “Semper Fi” lands like an old handshake. Three hundred and thirty vets were served in total this year, with some coming as far as from Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. We’ve been doing this since the turn of the millennium, growing from a one-day huddle into the biggest vet resource bash in the region. And in 2025, with the rain testing our grit and the need running as deep as ever, it proved again why we keep coming back. If you’re a vet reading this or know one who could use a boost, give us a ring at (406) 756-7304. The pantry’s always stocking up, and the door’s open wide.
Until next time, take care of each other out there. That’s the Montana way.
