Veterans fair includes some extra pizzazz
Members of the Red Hot Mamas, a performance group based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, dance on Saturday during the annual Veterans Resource and Job Fair at the Grant County Fairgrounds.
Charles H. Featherstone/Columbia Basin Herald
MOSES LAKE — The annual Veterans Resource and Job Fair was a bit spicier this year thanks to the singing and dancing of The Red Hot Mamas.
“We find people and places and things that could use a little perk-me-up!” said Mikki Stevens, director of the Coeur d’Alene-based troupe. “We put on all our crazy stuff and do our best to make people laugh and smile and maybe just forget what’s going on in life otherwise.”
“Just for a moment,” she added.
Known since their founding in 1991 for their parade and dance routines with shopping carts and walkers, the Red Hot Mamas were decked out in patriotic finery and danced to rock songs from the 1950s to honor veterans during the three-hour event at the Grant County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
According to Stevens, the Mamas have performed in three Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parades and three presidential inaugurals, and even though staffed by women in their 60s, 70s and 80s, they don’t slow down, and they spend as much time singing and dancing at community events, or at assisted living centers, as they can.
“We do whatever we can find,” Stevens said, adding that finding places to perform has been tough because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m so glad that we got to do this,” she said.
The resource and job fair, organized by the Grant County Veterans Advisory Board and Skillsource, brought together employers, health care providers, veterans organizations and others to help provide one place where veterans, especially needy and homeless veterans, can get assistance.
“We do it every year,” said Eileen Boylston, the veterans representative for Skillsource. “We get the veterans organizations to come in if people want to start claims or have questions about benefits.”
Boylston also said the fair had a number of tables of surplus military duffel bags, backpacks and cold weather clothing for unhoused vets in need.
“It saves them a trip to Spokane,” she said. “They can get boots and wool socks for the winter coming.”
“The focus is on homeless and needy vets, but it’s for all veterans,” she added of the surplus giveaway.