LINO LAKES, Minn. – (Nov. 3, 2016) – The Yellow Ribbon Network involves city leadership, public safety departments, faith-based organizations, veterans groups and more. They come together to find a variety of ways that they can help service members and their families.
“Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is a program that creates awareness with the purpose of connecting service members and their families with community support, training services and resources,” said Congressman Tom Emmer.
The network has been around for eight years, and county leadership liked the idea from the very beginning.
“I was thrilled as communities within Anoka County became Yellow Ribbon Cities,” said Anoka County Board Chair Rhonda Sivarajah.
CONTACT:
- Phone: (651) 321-4722
- Online: Website
- Email: btyr.linolakes@gmail.com
Starting with just one city in 2008, the network has grown to hundreds of cities, along with counties and employers as well.
“Today you join over 250 cities, county, and company networks across Minnesota that have proclaimed the yellow ribbon,” said Command Sergeant Major Shane Hybben.
The idea is simple. “We’ve got people on one side that need help and you got people on the other side that want to help,” said Lino Lakes Mayor Jeff Reinert.
Serving away from home is difficult. And staying home without a spouse can be difficult too. Sometimes the person at home might need a little extra help – whether that’s with lawn care, snow removal, maintenance, childcare or friendship.
“I don’t think we take enough time to recognize. It’s not just the service men and women it’s their families. It’s all of them as a unit that we owe so much to,” said Emmer.
But, the support doesn’t stop when the service member returns home. The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program continues to offer support to their family for as long as necessary.
“Today we had a World War II veteran who needed a ramp built for his home so he could get his walker up to his home,” said MN Department of Military Affairs speaker Annette Kuyper. “Within 17 minutes I had all the volunteers we needed once the request went out across the state.”
Yellow Ribbon Communities say that is exactly the way its supposed to be.
