Local businesses host free dinner for veterans in Superior

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Armed forces veterans celebrated Veterans Day with a free dinner in Superior.

The evening, hosted by Superior Elks Lodge #403, was filled with ceremonies to help bring those in attendance together, and honor those who could not attend, or never made it home.

For veterans young and old, it’s events like these that help make each Veterans Day special.

“It’s a day where everybody can just get together and feel like themselves again, because when you’re in the service, you’re almost a different person, then when you come back to civilian life, you have to reform to how things are here,” said Devin Lowney, a U.S Army veteran with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat.

For the provider of the free dinners, and Lowney’s mother, the opportunity to bring all forms of armed forces together into the family is a highlight of the day each year.

“We have created so many relationships, so that now, when you come to ‘Mama T’s’, it’s almost like they’re your family,” said Tanya Lowney, Owner of Mama T’s Smokin’ Eats, and Devin’s mom.

“When we arrived today, it was ‘Mama T, what did you make this year?’. They’ve really become a part of our family, and we’ve really become a part of their family as well.”

The restaurant also has teamed up with Bent Paddle Brewing Company to create the “FIST” light lager beer, which is now on tap at Mama T’s. The “FIST” name stands for the 173rd Fire Support Team, with a portion of the beer’s sales go to helping local veterans.