Potter VFD Hosts Annual Hunter's Breakfast

POTTER--On Saturday morning, October 26, 2024, Potter was the place to be in Cheyenne County as the Potter Volunteer Fire Department hosted their annual Hunter's Breakfast at the Fire House. The food started being served at 5 a.m. to accommodate the early-morning hunters on a beautiful autumn Saturday, but by 8 a.m., the Fired House was packed with families from Potter, Sidney, and other Cheyenne County communities as well as Dix and Kimball.

Bob Hilpert of the Potter Volunteer Fire Department has been organizing and working on this event for about 45 years. It is the largest fundraising event of the year for the Fire Department.

Hilpert said, "Years ago we'd have hunters lined up for breakfast at 5:30 a.m., but over the past few years the numbers of hunters are getting smaller. So we kind of have two flights, the early hunters who come at around 5 a.m, then the families that start getting here around 7 a.m."

All of the food is purchased locally and made by the members of the Volunteer Fire Department. Kevin Frei is in charge of the kitchen, and he makes sure that there's a great variety of delicious breakfast foods.

"We don't really make money on the breakfast, we're getting money through the raffles and donations. A lot of people will come in a get a few breakfasts for themselves and the kids, then just tell us to keep the change. Plus, all the great raffle items and other donations go a long way in helping to fund the Fire Department," Hilpert said.

The breakfast was an all-you-can-eat buffet for $8 for adults and $5 for children. The raffle tickets were $1 each, and the Grand Prize was a .223 Hunting Rifle donated by Highby Outdoors. Second-place prize was a Pheasant Mount from Resurrection Taxidermy, valued at $350. Third place winner received a $100 Gift Card, fourth place a $75 Gift Card, and fifth place a $50 Gift Card.

By the look of the turnout, the Volunteer Fire Department did very well and should be able to keep the community safe for a long time to come.