By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]
Full interview with Andrew and Amy Klein:
Humboldt, IA – A north central Iowa non-profit organization will be hosting a bags tournament in Humboldt to help support their efforts to serve the families of those who lost their lives serving their country and communities.
As previously reported, Families of the Fallen will be hosting one of their five regional Country Thunder Bags Tournaments at the Knotty Pine in downtown Humboldt. President Andrew Klein and Vice President Amy Klein founded the non-profit Memorial Day weekend in 2018 after the Country Thunder Music Festival.
Andrew Klein says that the original idea was to host an “all inclusive retreat style” weekend for the families of fallen service men and women at the music festival. “As we worked with our group of friends, it grew into a bigger vision where we decided to apply and become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.”
Through their fundraising efforts, they are able to help those who have suffered hardships because of the services of their family members. This includes those who have lost their lives as well as been injured in the line of duty.
With Country Thunder formerly being on Memorial Day weekend, Klein says the platform seemed perfect to honor the fallen heroes and their families. “Amy and I have both lost people that we know to accidents and things that have happened.” The president says he personally lost a good friend overseas in Iraq.
“That is kind of where the main vision came from, was just kind of having the right platform to present this.” The “retreat style” original idea came to mind for them because Country Thunder presented them a good opportunity. Then the vision grew from there.
In the fall of 2019, Families of the Fallen adopted “Operation 7% Alpha.” This is a monthly event in which the non-profit collects overstocked meat and other food product from the Forest City Hy-Vee store to deliver to homeless shelters that house military veterans.
At the same time, the organization adopted “Operation Winter Gear,” a yearly event were they collect winter gear and other items to deliver to homeless shelters that house military veterans. They also go to areas where homeless veterans and others live on the streets to hand deliver the items.
The original vision is still a part of their efforts. Vice President Amy Klein says they were able to host their first six families at the Country Thunder Music Festival in 2019 and are excited to bring back that opportunity in 2021 after not having it in 2020. This year’s group will include a combination of a new set of families with some of their original six. “We’re really looking forward to that.”
She says that it’s a “really neat way” for these families to make connections with others who have suffered a similar loss. “It’s a really neat thing to see those families come together and help each other in that way.”
Families of the Fallen will host a total of five regional fundraising bags tournaments. The first two were in Mason City and Algona. On May 8 they will host their third in Rockwell City. May 15 will be the Humboldt tournament and the final regional tournament will be May 22 in Forest City.
After the Forest City tournament, the top three players from each region will play for Grand Champion and a pair of two platinum tickets to County Thunder and on-stage seating for Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Regional tournament participation is open to the public. In Humboldt, the registration will be from 10-10:45 the morning of and be $50 per entry. The tournament will start at 11 am.
Andy and Amy Klein welcome the public to come out to the event and have a good time, even if they do not plan to play. There is no cost for spectators. They will have refreshments as well as merchandise.
More information about Families of the Fallen can be found online at fotf.us.
Featured photo courtesy of fotf.us.