Wieners and beans a chance for public to mingle with military

By Jeremy Appel on July 25, 2018.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

A mass of Hatters gathered outside the east entrance of the Medicine Hat Mall Tuesday for CFB Suffield’s third annual free wieners and beans dinner to help kick off Stampede week.

Both British and Canadian soldiers served and socialized with attendees, giving back to the closest city to their base, while local band Mustang provided musical entertainment.

“It’s great that along with our Canadian brothers and sisters, we can come to the town of Medicine Hat and show the general public our thanks and appreciation,” said Graham Anderson, Regimental Sgt.-Maj. of British Army Training Unit Suffield.

This is his first Medicine Hat Stampede experience, having only been stationed at Suffield since March.

“I’m already looking forward to next year’s event,” said Anderson, who’s slated to be with BATUS until March 2020.

Capt. Dane Findlay, a born-and-raised Albertan, was wearing a festive cowboy hat.

“It’s fun to put on the hat and relax a bit,” he said. “It shows people that we’re not serious all the time. We can have a bit of fun. It’s a piece of the community we’re in, as well.”

His British colleagues are generally big fans of the local cowboy culture, Findlay added.

“They eat it up,” he said. “They go to more rodeos in the summertime than I do.”

Janine Lindboe, the mall’s marketing manager, hailed the “tremendous partnership” with CFB Suffield, as the mall hosts the base’s Stampede event every year.

The event had been on hiatus for more than a decade before a revival in 2015 to celebrate the base’s 75th anniversary, she said.

They’ve since kept it going due to its popularity.

“Come out, have some wieners and beans, no dishes to do,” said Lindboe. “Families love it.”

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