March 17, 2025 • 4 mins
Bob Hughes, Co-Chair for the Armed Forces Thanksgiving joins us to discuss this year's powerful event and how you can get involved.
Tables can be purchased here: https://www.armedforcesthx.org/
Tables can be purchased here: https://www.armedforcesthx.org/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to West Michigan's morning News. Steve Kelly and Brett Makita.
Put this date on your calendar, whether it's old school
or in your phone. As we get ready for the
tenth annual Armed Force Armed Forces Thanksgiving on Friday May sixteenth.
Robert Hughes is with Advantage Benefits Group. He's the co chair. Bob,
thank you so much for coming all the way in today.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good morning, Steve, Thanks so much for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I've described this thing as a goosebump from beginning to end.
First of all, for those that might not know, you've
been with the thing since the beginning. What is the
Armed Forces Thanksgiving?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
The Armed Forced Fower Forces Thanksgiving is a very unique
event and it was really the brainchild of the late
great to Peter Rupert. And Peter was sitting around and saying,
you know, we just don't do enough to acknowledge and
recognize the people in the military and the sacrifices they've made,
and I think many of us have said that before.
And he also said, you know, my kids don't know
what people in the military have done, and said let's
actually do something about it. So he and John arewhen
(00:56):
came up with this idea to put on the Armed
Forces Thanksgiving, which what's about it is that recognizes and
acknowledges veterans at the same time educates kids, high school kids.
We get from forty different schools to come and learn
about what people in the military have done and what
even careers look like. That so just a really great event.
And at the end of the day it does raise
some money and that goes to the West Michigan Veterans Coalition,
(01:17):
which is an awesome West Michigan on the ground doing
a difference to help people. It's just a fantastic event.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Bob, Happy anniversary. By the way, this is the tenth
year coming up, and just an amazing event. As Steve mentioned,
what would you recommend for someone listening out there, whether
you involve the military, maybe you have a family member
that was involved in the military, just to see this event.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, there's a couple of great ways. Brett so I
like to call it a military petting zoo. But over
at the Great gerald Ford Museum. In the morning of
the event, we have a bunch of military equipment on display,
first responder equipment, bomb suits, a black Hall helicopter that
comes in and a great chance to meet some people
that run those types of equipment and go over there
(01:57):
and mingle with them. The high school students that will
be attending will then have an opportunity to be in
the auditorium and have a talk with our great speaker
that is coming in. And then there's a bagpipe procession
that goes from there over to here. And for those
that can get to the dinner, obviously, we love to
have veterans because when you buy a table that's rolling
unique as a sponsor, you get to have four people there,
(02:17):
but at your table there'll be two veterans and four
kids from one of forty different high schools. And so
you could go as an event, could go as a veteran,
or you could buy a table as a sponsor and
support the great cause and have four people from your company,
and then you'd have some high school and some veterans there.
So there's a chance to go over to the gerald
Ford in the morning and a chance to obviously attend
(02:39):
the event, which you know, like Steve said, it's it
does you know somebody that's never been in the military.
When you watch the pomp and circumstance and the rituals
and stuff that go through and acknowledging everybody from the
MIA to the people that have served and the people.
It's just it's a moving event for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, you can tell in the face and I've been
blessed to be up on stage for it too. And
look out at the crowd as some of these things
are being presented, and to see the faces in these
high school kids that have never been I grew up
as an Air Force brat, right, so this was ingrained
in my But when they explain why there's an empty
table and what's on the table, and when the flag
(03:17):
comes in and you can hear a pin drop, oh boy,
that's the first big goosebump. How do you get tickets?
How can I buy a table?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Well, that's a great question. And in I'd also throwing
the bagpipes in the march and the band over there
that the procession, the procession gets you rolling too. But yes, tickets,
So Armedforces Thanksgiving dot org. There is the website. Our
goal is to get to you know, sixty five tables
is a sellout. If we could really move the corners,
we could get seventy there. That's the goal, because it's
the tenth anniversary so if you go to Armed Forces Thanksgiving,
(03:47):
you can get a table. And it is a great event.
I've never had anybody that's gone. They didn't walk out
and say, holy smoke, whose idea was this? And it
was Peters and Erly. We just can't do enough to
thank these people. When you break it down, less than
one one percent of the population serves so that all
of us can sit here and talk about Michigan State
getting into attorney and what's going on on Monday. But
(04:07):
these people have put their lives on the line to
protect our country and our freedoms, and we just can't
thank them enough. And I think this event is just
a great way to do that and educate kids at
the same time.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
A couple of years ago, I ran into Virgil Westdale
and I'm just oh, hi, I saw you on the news.
Who was in the four hundred and forty second, one
of the most decorated regiments in World War Two, who,
amongst other things, liberated Docau. He actually watched them shoot
the locks off the door. Those people show up at
the JW. Marriott and you'll have access to them. We'll
(04:38):
put the link in the podcast section at woodradio dot
com to Armforces, TCHX dot org, do a Google search.
You can't miss it. Bob Hughes, co chair, thank you
so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Thanks so much for covering the event.
Welcome to West Michigan's morning News. Steve Kelly and Brett Makita.
Put this date on your calendar, whether it's old school
or in your phone. As we get ready for the
tenth annual Armed Force Armed Forces Thanksgiving on Friday May sixteenth.
Robert Hughes is with Advantage Benefits Group. He's the co chair. Bob,
thank you so much for coming all the way in today.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Good morning, Steve, Thanks so much for having us.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I've described this thing as a goosebump from beginning to end.
First of all, for those that might not know, you've
been with the thing since the beginning. What is the
Armed Forces Thanksgiving?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
The Armed Forced Fower Forces Thanksgiving is a very unique
event and it was really the brainchild of the late
great to Peter Rupert. And Peter was sitting around and saying,
you know, we just don't do enough to acknowledge and
recognize the people in the military and the sacrifices they've made,
and I think many of us have said that before.
And he also said, you know, my kids don't know
what people in the military have done, and said let's
actually do something about it. So he and John arewhen
(00:56):
came up with this idea to put on the Armed
Forces Thanksgiving, which what's about it is that recognizes and
acknowledges veterans at the same time educates kids, high school kids.
We get from forty different schools to come and learn
about what people in the military have done and what
even careers look like. That so just a really great event.
And at the end of the day it does raise
some money and that goes to the West Michigan Veterans Coalition,
(01:17):
which is an awesome West Michigan on the ground doing
a difference to help people. It's just a fantastic event.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Bob, Happy anniversary. By the way, this is the tenth
year coming up, and just an amazing event. As Steve mentioned,
what would you recommend for someone listening out there, whether
you involve the military, maybe you have a family member
that was involved in the military, just to see this event.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Yeah, there's a couple of great ways. Brett so I
like to call it a military petting zoo. But over
at the Great gerald Ford Museum. In the morning of
the event, we have a bunch of military equipment on display,
first responder equipment, bomb suits, a black Hall helicopter that
comes in and a great chance to meet some people
that run those types of equipment and go over there
(01:57):
and mingle with them. The high school students that will
be attending will then have an opportunity to be in
the auditorium and have a talk with our great speaker
that is coming in. And then there's a bagpipe procession
that goes from there over to here. And for those
that can get to the dinner, obviously, we love to
have veterans because when you buy a table that's rolling
unique as a sponsor, you get to have four people there,
(02:17):
but at your table there'll be two veterans and four
kids from one of forty different high schools. And so
you could go as an event, could go as a veteran,
or you could buy a table as a sponsor and
support the great cause and have four people from your company,
and then you'd have some high school and some veterans there.
So there's a chance to go over to the gerald
Ford in the morning and a chance to obviously attend
(02:39):
the event, which you know, like Steve said, it's it
does you know somebody that's never been in the military.
When you watch the pomp and circumstance and the rituals
and stuff that go through and acknowledging everybody from the
MIA to the people that have served and the people.
It's just it's a moving event for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, you can tell in the face and I've been
blessed to be up on stage for it too. And
look out at the crowd as some of these things
are being presented, and to see the faces in these
high school kids that have never been I grew up
as an Air Force brat, right, so this was ingrained
in my But when they explain why there's an empty
table and what's on the table, and when the flag
(03:17):
comes in and you can hear a pin drop, oh boy,
that's the first big goosebump. How do you get tickets?
How can I buy a table?
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Well, that's a great question. And in I'd also throwing
the bagpipes in the march and the band over there
that the procession, the procession gets you rolling too. But yes, tickets,
So Armedforces Thanksgiving dot org. There is the website. Our
goal is to get to you know, sixty five tables
is a sellout. If we could really move the corners,
we could get seventy there. That's the goal, because it's
the tenth anniversary so if you go to Armed Forces Thanksgiving,
(03:47):
you can get a table. And it is a great event.
I've never had anybody that's gone. They didn't walk out
and say, holy smoke, whose idea was this? And it
was Peters and Erly. We just can't do enough to
thank these people. When you break it down, less than
one one percent of the population serves so that all
of us can sit here and talk about Michigan State
getting into attorney and what's going on on Monday. But
(04:07):
these people have put their lives on the line to
protect our country and our freedoms, and we just can't
thank them enough. And I think this event is just
a great way to do that and educate kids at
the same time.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
A couple of years ago, I ran into Virgil Westdale
and I'm just oh, hi, I saw you on the news.
Who was in the four hundred and forty second, one
of the most decorated regiments in World War Two, who,
amongst other things, liberated Docau. He actually watched them shoot
the locks off the door. Those people show up at
the JW. Marriott and you'll have access to them. We'll
(04:38):
put the link in the podcast section at woodradio dot
com to Armforces, TCHX dot org, do a Google search.
You can't miss it. Bob Hughes, co chair, thank you
so much for coming in today.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Thanks so much for covering the event.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!