Great Falls organizations and businesses came together this holiday to feed airmen working on Christmas Day at Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard.

Joann Gogo spearheaded this year’s project that was sponsored by the Exchange Club of Great Falls, Great Falls Association of Realtors, Thomas Kopp, Suhr Transport, K&K Trucking, Terry Thompson, Blane Sheritt, Rob and Saniel Rezek.

“We want our airmen to know that we are very grateful for their service to our community, state and country and wanted to show our appreciation with this small gesture from our community,” Gogo told The Electric.

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The event wouldn’t have happened, Gogo said, without Michael Hallahan, chef and partner at Enbar/The Block, and “his kindness to work on Christmas Day along with other volunteers. I am overwhelmed and sincerely grateful with the kind support and contribution from everyone who helped make this happen.”

Hallahan said that, when asked to help, the other business owners “stepped up big. They all shared the same sentiment and passion of wanting to help and give back where they can.”

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The Block/Enbar, Mighty Mo Brew Pub, Burger Bunker, Teriyaki Madness, Broadwater Coffee and Speaking Socially also donated items to go with the meals or helped out with feeding about 150 airmen.

Hallahan and some his partners and staff volunteered their time on Christmas to cook and package the meals that were delivered to airmen at Malmstrom and the 120th Airlift Wing.

“We strive to give back to the community that has been so supportive to us, especially this past year. Being asked to participate in such a meaningful event with our military is a huge honor and was a no brainer for us,” Hallahan told The Electric. “As owners of a small business in downtown Great Falls we rely on the base and the Great Falls community as a whole, to keep us going, being able to do a small gesture such as this, is just a small token of our appreciation for the giant sacrifices these men and women make each day.”