Jerky for our troops
Typically taking to the stage to make a difference with his guitar and country twang, Chad Lee had another classic of American culture on his side this weekend: beef jerky.
The country singer/songwriter who has graced the stage with many country and rock greats like Rodney Adkins, Dierks Bentley and Tracy Lawrence, played a two night charity concert in his hometown of Sanford, Michigan over the weekend.
The concert, appropriately called Jerky For Our Troops, was held at the Northern Lanes Lounge. Those attending were encouraged to donate a pack of beef jerky that would be included as part of a care package to an American soldier stationed overseas.
“My brother and I came up with the idea,” Lee explained. “We wanted a way to help the troops. We then hooked up with Aaron’s Gifts from Home to take the collection.”
Aaron’s Gifts from Home, based in Midland, provides food, snacks, personal hygiene items and entertainment on a year-round basis to deployed American troops.
Debi Ullom, part of the husband and wife team who founded the non-profit, explained the company aims to send care packages every month to soldiers. Many of the packages contain canned fruit, cookies, candy and books.
“We originally started the collection because of our son,” she explained. “We wanted to do something in his memory.”
Founders of Aaron’s Gifts from Home Debi and Kevin Ullom’s son Aaron was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2011 saving the life of a Marine.
“We thought of setting up a scholarship or foundation in his honor,” she said. “But he always loved getting care packages from us, so we thought, ‘What better way to honor Aaron than to keep doing that?’”
Kevin Ullom explained that jerky is a staple of the care packages they send overseas.
“We send them to all troops,” he said. “And jerky is a favorite.”
Those who donated a pack of beef jerky were offered a free CD of Chad Lee’s album “Sidewalks and Trains,” and were also handed a download card for Lee’s album, “Feel.”
Lee said he enjoyed the chance to spend some time in the town where he grew up and play to a crowd for a good cause.
“I moved to Nashville in 1994,” he said. “I try to come back to Sanford every two to three years.”
Through the night, Lee and his band played both original songs and well-loved covers, including original material from his own albums.
