Submitted Photo The Prairie Warrior Auction raised more than $110,000 for Minot Air Force Base activities. From left to right are Tom Rafferty and Brad Doll, both Verendrye Electric Cooperative; Col. James Schlabach, commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base; Col. Jesse Lamarand, commander of the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB; and Brekka Kramer and Ryan Ackerman, both MACEDC.

Minot Area Chamber EDC (MACEDC) has announced $110,197 was raised at the 2025 Prairie Warrior Auction on April 24 to support the personnel at Minot Air Force Base, according to MACEDC information.

The funds were generated from a combination of community and Minot AFB-donated live and silent auction items, table sales, event games and cash donations. The event was open to the public.

“The Minot area is incredibly proud of our friends at Minot Air Force Base, and the support shown by the community at the Prairie Warrior Auction is simply proof of how important to us the personnel are who live and work on base,” said Ryan Ackerman, 2025 MACEDC Board chair. “We’re excited that so many individuals and companies are finding such creative ways to give back and are feeling optimistic that we’ll be able to beat last year’s record of sending people home to visit their families over the holidays. Thank you to everyone who made this year such a roaring success.”

Proceeds from the auction will be used to help squadrons at Minot AFB fund events, meals and other morale-boosting activities aimed at improving day-to-day life for Team Minot through the Prairie Warrior Association.

A portion of the proceeds goes directly to the Home for the Holidays program facilitated by MACEDC that purchases airline tickets for first-term airmen to go home and visit their friends and family members throughout the November and December holiday season. More than $52,000 was raised through table sales and donations from Hess Corp., Verendrye Electric Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative for Home for the Holidays.

Verendrye Electric Cooperative was the event’s presenting sponsor for the third year in a row.

“Verendrye is honored to be the presenting sponsor as a way to recognize the sacrifices and hard work of our local military personnel and everyone on the Minot Air Force Base,” said Tom Rafferty, chair of the MACEDC Military Affairs Committee and Verendrye Electric Member Services manager. “We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who supported through item and monetary donations, took the time to attend, and especially for the service members that serve our country and supported the event by crafting donations and volunteering their time. It’s because of you that we have such a great community and can continue to bring people together.”

“We’re consistently finding ways that we can help our military friends and neighbors feel at home and included in the community,” said Brekka Kramer, MACEDC president-CEO. “Minot isn’t Minot without Minot Air Force Base, which is evident from the $651 million economic impact of 2024, but it’s so much more than just the economic impact that makes Minot Air Force Base so special to the community. It’s about those who serve, so putting on this annual event is just one way the community can give back and help.”

Military support is one of the key pillars of the Minot Area Chamber EDC and is spearheaded by Keli Rosselli-Sullivan.