Cowboy Skill Games of Wyoming treated hundreds of Natrona County first responders on Thursday to a free lunch at Casper’s Office Bar and Grill.
Representatives from the skill-based amusement organization offered the free lunch to nurses, doctors, EMS workers, police, fire, and senior home workers to say thank you for keeping the county safe and healthy during the pandemic.
“These are the people who put their lives on the line for all us and this was just a way for the Wyoming families who comprise Cowboy Skill Games to say thank you,” Guy Cameron, a compliance director for the organization, said.
David Waylander, owner of Wyoming Amusement in Casper, said the event also hopefully encouraged citizens to go out and support their local restaurants and bars.
“The pandemic did a lot of damage to our small business community,” he said. “Our restaurants and bars need all of us to show some support.”
The revenue from Cowboy Skill Games, he said, help keep restaurants, bars, and veterans organizations like American Legions and VFWs open.
“These games are a lifesaver to many of our favorite places to eat, grab a drink, or socialize with friends,” he said. “Today’s event helped communicate that Wyoming is open for business again.”
Jim Kanelos, owner of The Office Bar and Grill, said he was pleased with the turnout and humbled that so many first responders would take advantage of the offer.
“To see so many women and men in uniform come in and join us for lunch said something about Casper’s spirit. We hang in there together and support each other. Thank you to Cowboy Skill Games for putting the event on and thank you to our first responders for keeping us safe.”
Following the lunch, Waylander and his wife Rhonda went to the Wyoming Medical Center, and police and fire departments in Casper, Bar Nunn, Mills, and Evansville to distribute gift certificates for those women and men who couldn’t attend the lunch.
“Not everyone could attend because they’re protecting us so we thought the least we could do is provide them a free meal when they have the time,” he said.
Earlier in the year, Cowboy Skill Games donated $10,000 to the First Lady of Wyoming to help her Wyoming Hunger Initiative.
