CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cheyenne Frontier Days has long been intrinsically connected to the military, and Monday, July 20, celebrated this relationship with Military Monday, honoring volunteers with free tickets and an Indian honor dance.
With free entrance and rodeo tickets to military service members and their families, CFD recognizes the long history and the shared relationship that the event and military have, and volunteers bridge the gap and make the event possible.
Dressed in a sea of purple to honor the military's commitment, volunteers enjoyed food in the military cabin as they took a short break from their day's work.
Michael Rickman, the booster club president and production team leader, explained how the military provides a large number of volunteers to CFD such as himself, in a relationship dating back before even the rodeo.
“Being part of the military committee pays respects to both giving the volunteerism to CFD but also ties the connection and the history and the past to F.E. Warren Air Force Base, which we used to be Fort D.A. Russell,†Rickman said.
“CFD, along with the military, I think are the biggest contributors to the local community of Cheyenne, Wyoming,†Rickman said. “So having both in a positive partnership positively fuels the city … and the great freedoms we enjoy.â€
Rickman elaborated on some of the lesser-known aspects of the military committee and their role at the Daddy of 'em All, as each year the committee chooses three to five charities to donate proceeds towards along with their support of CFD acts and volunteers.
Aside from accepting donations for the free food, to raise money, the military committee has an annual fundraiser in the form of a buffalo roast and auctions which support their efforts year-round.
“We get anything and everything from the surrounding community all the way out to the tri-state area to donate gifts [and] donate items that we can auction†Rickman said, with all of the money then used to support the charities and volunteers.
“We feed the majority of the volunteers here on CFD park,†Rickman said, as their impact goes beyond charities' and extends into CFD itself.
This hospitality even extends to the visiting acts from out of state, as the committee supports the various performers before, during, and after their time on stage.
“We give them the home, we feed them, we do all the things to allow them to give the presentation and the show they need,†Rickman explained.
The rest of the proceeds are donated to three to five charities chosen every year, and oftentimes they donate around $10,000.
Rickman concluded with explaining how CFD makes revenue and supports Cheyenne, and the military committee keeps things running behind the scenes.
“Between the two partnerships, CFD gives to the community, gives the presentation, raises the revenue for Cheyenne, Wyoming,†Rickman said.
“The military committee, we help in that process by providing that background support to make sure the show goes on without a hitch and is perfectly delivered,†Rickman said.
To further celebrate Military Monday, the sea of purple volunteers in the military cabin headed to the newly opened Morning Star American Indian Village to continue the celebrations.
Sarah Courtright, vice president of the booster club, expressed how these honor dances are one of her favorite CFD memories, saying how, “these honor dances are an absolute privilege and this will be an interesting memory.â€
“We've been at the old Indian village for years … and coming to this new beautiful facility that they spent millions of dollars on … and for us to get to go down onto the new grounds, the new drum circle, the new dance arena, is going to be really amazing,†Courtright said.
Courtright further explained CFD's relation to her military ties, and seeing the leapfrogs come down reminded her of her own connection, as her husband was a former pararescueman.
“It was very cool to see the kind of full circle of all of these branches come and work together,†Courtright said.
