Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Cannon Appreciation Day set for Saturday

Freedom New Mexico: Alisa Boswell Roosevelt Chamber of Commerce Director Karl Terry, left, and Promotions Director Sandy Van Der Veen go through boxes of door prizes Monday afternoon for the Cannon Appreciation Day, which is happening Saturday in the 801 military housing.

The Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce is holding a Cannon Appreciation Day on Saturday for local military personnel. The event will include live music, food and door prizes along with bounce houses and face painting for children

“It’s very much a family event,” Chamber Director Karl Terry said. “The purpose is to show them that we appreciate them being in Portales and we appreciate their service.”

Terry said the event is not just open to military members living in Portales but to all military members at Cannon.

He said although Portales and Roosevelt County have held events before to show Cannon Air Force Base support, this is the first appreciation day the town has held for the base.

“I really feel good about our involvement with Cannon now and we need to be involved in a good way and this event is a good way,” Terry said. “We hope to have Military Affairs more involved next year.”

Terry said the Military Affairs Committee was restarted the beginning of September and other projects and events for military personnel will be done through the committee throughout the year.

He said the chamber plans to make the appreciation day an annual event.

“We have people asking us about it and they are excited about the event,” said Paul Hopkins, manager of the base Community Center. “We are on board, but Portales is handling the whole thing.”

Hopkins said he and other base officials anticipate a good turnout at the event and a lot of fun for Cannon families.

“Portales has always been a strong supporter of Cannon Air Force Base and it was just really nice to have them show their appreciation in another way,” Hopkins said. “And it will be really nice for families to be able to come together and have a good time with other families and with each other.”

Terry said Portales businesses have donated the door prizes for the event, which include household items, knick-knacks, coupons and toys.

“Everything we’ve heard from Special Operations is that more than anything, they want their families taken care of,” Terry said. “So we want to step up and show them we care about their families by hosting this event. Hopefully, we can continue to do more events that show this.”

Terry said the event will include musical entertainment by local residents Andy Mason and Don Thomas and Eastern New Mexico University will be bringing its mascots, Vic and Tory.

“We’ve got more military families living here in Portales than ever before,” Terry said. “We’re very proud a lot of them are picking Portales.”

 
 
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