(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center hosted its 10th Annual Patriot Day Giveback on Friday, where military members, veterans, and first responders were able to get lots of help from the community.

The event honors our past, while taking care of the present. Remembering how our country came together on Sept. 12 in 2001, the service center and over 50 of its partners spent the day giving back to our local heroes.

“Our service members and veterans don’t ask. They’re very proud, and to be able to provide something like this that offsets a little bit of the bill this month… is wonderful,” said Col (R) Robert “Bob” McLaughlin, Executive Director of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

The day began with an opening ceremony that included speakers, awards, flyovers, and the honor bell. It ended with about 400 cars driving through the distribution line to fill up their trunks with various free items.

“El Paso County, the only county in the country with five active duty military installations. And so there’s a great concentration of not only active duty servicemen and women, but veterans and their family and their families. So, boy, why wouldn’t we want to get behind this? It’s just a real honor to do it,” said Nate Springer, the President and Chief Executive Officer at Care and Share Food Bank.

There was a wide range of items given away, from golf clubs and other sports equipment to food.

“It’s what we’re all about at the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center and our partners, to give back,” said McLaughlin.

More than 100 volunteers helped make it happen. They honored service, celebrated our military members and first responders, and paid tribute to our fallen.

Care and Share Food Bank says if you missed the event, there’s an even bigger food distribution on Saturday in CSU Pueblo’s parking lot.

“This is just a big example of what’s going on. Every month, there’s multiple distributions across the state to support active duty service men and women and veterans, and their families,” said Springer.

Friday’s event was sponsored to the tune of about $20,000. Mt. Carmel says the more contributions it can get, the more people it can help in Southern Colorado.

“If you know somebody out there that’s in need of support, contact Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, we’ll help. If you have a superpower or you want to partner with us, please do that, and then, of course, if you can help put fuel in the engine with a monetary contribution, that’d be great too,” said McLaughlin.