Zak Zuehlsdorf couldn’t have asked for a better turnout for the first ever Veterans Connect breakfast event Oct. 22 at Farm Inn’ on Main in downtown Shawano.
Zuehlsdorf, Shawano County’s veterans service officer, coordinated the breakfast to bring veterans together and then send them out to encourage other vets to visit the office and get the benefits due to them.
“The real takeaway for this event is: ‘When you leave this event, I need you to go out and spread the gospel around of our veterans service office and what we’re doing for Shawano County,’” he said. “Go tell them the good work that we’re doing, and tell them to come see us.”
The back room of Farm Inn’ on Main was filled with an expected 50 veterans, office staff and a few county leaders.
The sponsor for the breakfast was Twig’s Beverage, and owners were presented with a certificate of appreciation.
Floyd Hartwig, Korean War veteran and Purple Heart recipient, started the business in 1951.
“He was recovering in his bed in Japan, and he had this idea of actually starting the bottling company of Twig’s,” Zuehlsdorf said.
Hartwig’s uniform and a brief biography of him are on display at the Twig’s Museum and Gift Shop in Shawano.
“We appreciate everything everybody ever did for us,” said Dan Hartwig, Floyd’s son. “That’s just a little way of showing our appreciation for what you guys did.”
Kelly and Keith Baumann, owners of Farm Inn’ on Main, were also presented with a certificate of appreciation for hosting the breakfast and providing the staff to serve the meal.
Zuehlsdorf said the breakfast event is based on what is done each month in Oconto County. There is it coordinated by Ron Christensen and Tanya Gonzalez. Zuehlsdorf attended a breakfast there to get an idea of how it worked.
“I left there knowing that there’s a story in each and every one of you and all the veterans in Shawano County,” he said.
There are an estimated 2,800 veterans in Shawano County.
Rich Grosskreutz, who also works in the veterans service office, said the next event will be held in January 2027, with details yet to be announced. The plan is to hold the event each quarter.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
Farm Inn’ on Main hosted the first ever Veterans Connect quarterly breakfast Oct. 22 for the Shawano County Veterans Service Office. Zak Zuehlsdorf, Shawano County’s veterans service officer, presents a certificate of appreciation to Kelly Baumann, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Keith. (Kevin Passon | NEW Media)
