South Dakota couple headed to AK for big announcement

PALMER — A South Dakota family hadn’t planned to attend this year’s Alaska State Fair, but their plans changed suddenly after receiving a call Aug. 28 from Operation Homefront.

The national nonprofit provides emergency financial and other assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors.

But the South Dakota husband and wife aren’t trekking to Alaska to catch the annual Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off or anything like that. Instead, they will join rocker Bret Michaels on stage as guests of honor Sept. 1 when he performs at the Borealis Theater at 7 p.m., according to Michaels’ public relations agency.

Spokesperson Christie Cook with Michaels Entertainment Group said the couple both served in the U.S. Army and will travel to Alaska with their service dog to be part of a couple of big announcements.

“They found out last night they are going to awarded a mortgage-free home from Operation Homefront,” Cook said.

But the second piece of their news won’t be uncorked until Sunday during the show.

“The last home they gave away was in New York,” Cook said. “They thought they were just coming to a concert and they got a house.”

Tickets to the show are available online at bit.ly/14I2830.

For more information about Operation Homefront, visit operationhomefront.net.

Contact Heather A. Resz at 352-2268 or

heather.resz@frontiersman.com.