My name is Germaine Beyl, I am the mother of two U.S. Soldiers, I am married to a Viet Nam Veteran, and I work with an amazing group of volunteers.  This is our story:

From 2003 – 2007 The haunted house started out as a family event held at the Beyl Family Farm in Castle Rock Township.   It all started when the Beyl’s eldest son, SSG Grant M. Beyl, parachuted into Northern Iraq with the 173^rd Airborne Division.  The family wanted to do something for the soldiers in their son’s squad so they organized a small Haunted House and Chili Supper at their farm in Castle Rock, invited family & friends and asked each person attending to bring a non-perishable item that would be mailed in a care package to SSG Beyl’s squad.  That year over 38 large boxes were mailed to soldiers in Iraq. 

In 2004, the Beyl’s youngest son SGT Brandon C. Beyl was deployed with Delta Btry 216 ADA, MN National Guard, to Baghdad, Iraq.  Once again the family hosted a Chili Supper, and the Haunted House grew in size .  Treats for the troops were once again collected, packed and sent to the soldiers serving with their second son.   The Beyl family and friends also received names of other soldiers and were asked if they would mail a packages to them also.  No one was ever turned away.

In 2005, the eldest Beyl son was once again deployed with the 173^rd Airborne to Afghanistan.  Treats were collected, the annual Chili supper was held and boxes were once again mailed to the soldiers.  The Beyl family also honored the memory of a local Farmington resident; SGT Joshua Dane Lund, who lost his life in an automobile accident in September of that year on the way to formation prior to his deployment to Iraq.  Josh was a Farmington resident, and a classmate and friend of SGT. Brandon Beyl.  Donations were accepted in memory of Josh, and given to his mother and father.

In 2006, the Beyl boys were not deployed, but the Beyl family and friends continued the tradition of the Haunted House/Chili Supper at the farm.  This year the group supported the 34^th Infantry Division, Minnesota National Guard, contributing to their “Supply the Future” program, collecting enough school supplies to send over 225- 2 gallon zip lock bags filled with school supplies, 30 backpacks, and misc. school supplies to the soldiers of the 34^th Infantry Division, Red Bulls to distribute to Iraqi school children.  This was the last year chili supper as the Beyl’s served over 300 bowls of chili that year.

2007 brought another deployment for the Beyl family, this time SGT Brandon Beyl was sent to Kosovo, as part of A Co, 2/135 INF, and SSG Grant Beyl’s unit, 173^rd Airborne was back in Afghanistan.   The group supported SGT  Brandon Beyl’s squad, by mailing care packages to them while they were in Kosovo, sending school supplies and hats/mittens for a group of Kosovo school children that Beyl’s squad was assisting with , sent a memorial to the widow of a South Dakota soldier who was killed in small arms fire in Iraq in late September, and presented a check to the 173^rd Airborne Division Fallen Warriors Memorial, Vicenza, Italy in honor of SSG Grant Beyl’s comrades who were killed in action in Afghanistan during the 2007-2008 deployment.  The group also mailed packages to a US Marine who was serving in Iraq.  This was the first year the Haunted House received matching funds from a local chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and due to the increasing attendance, this would be the last year the event would be held at the farm. 

Due to the outpouring of support, 2008 was the first year the haunted house was open to the public.  With funds collected from the 2008 Haunted House, the group was able to fly a soldier to California from Minnesota to spend Christmas with her children before being deployed to Iraq in March of 2009, donated $500 to the Mothers/Grandmothers Luncheon hosted by the Warrior to Citizen Group in Farmington, donated money to the May Warrior to Citizen Military Family Picnic at the Dakota County Fairgrounds, sent packages to 10 soldiers on a deployment to Iraq, and assisted a Family Readiness Group with their Military Family Day Picnic in June of that year; these families  had loved ones on deployment with the Minnesota National Guard to Iraq.

In 2008, the group received Congressional recognition from Congressman John Kline, being given the The Star of the North Award, and a Department of Defense Certificate of Appreciation from the Commander of Southern European Task Force , Vicenza, Italy, for their ongoing efforts to support the Soldiers of the 173^rd Airborne & others serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

2009 Marked our second year at the Dakota County Fairgrounds.  We didn’t have anyone deployed within our group, but the tradition continued and attracted more than 900+ visitors in two nights that braved the cold and turned out for the yearly event to raise money for the soldiers deployed overseas and their families.  A new crowd pleaser in 2009 was the performance of Michael Jacksons “Thriller” dance, by Footsteps Dance Studio located in Burnsville.  A few more groups from Farmington joined in and with the money raised from the 2009 Support Our Troops Haunted House we were able to contribute $200.00 to help fund a Halloween Party in Iraq for members serving with the 34^th Infantry Division, HHC, Minnesota National Guard, and at Christmas 2009 - we were able to make up 265 treat bags for the families of the 34^th Infantry Division HHC & A Co. to be included in Santa hats and Christmas stockings that family members were sending to their soldiers serving in Iraq.  Each bag included a small box of Russell Stover Chocolate, a bag of peanuts, lifesavers, assorted candy, candy canes and a Christmas card thanking them for their service.

     In addition, another 250+ bags were dropped off at the Minneapolis International Airport servicemen’s center along with snack sized packages of nuts and extra candy to be distributed to soldiers passing through before, during and after the Christmas Holiday.

            We also mailed out 18 individual Hickory Farms packages to soldiers, from Farmington and surrounding areas, as well as, other soldiers whose names were received from web site submissions.  It is heartwarming to read the thank you letters and how much a gift from home means to them.

In June of 2010 we put assembled another 18 boxes that were headed for Afghanistan, for soldiers serving there with a local Farmington soldier.   During the summer of 2010 our group donated $500.00 to the Minnesota National Guard which was used for photo books that were given to the returning soldiers attending a family picnic in their honor in mid July.

In June of this year, Germaine and Grant Beyl were honored to have 6  (Air Force servicemen) who were recipients of our care packages, show up at their home in Farmington to personally thank them and the members of the Haunted House group for the packages they received while on their deployment.  We were honored that they took time out of their busy schedule to say thanks, although none was needed.

In late summer of 2010 it was apparent that the event was continuing to grow and the decision was made to start the process to become a nonprofit organization.  What started as a small gathering of family and friends to support the soldiers has grown to an annual gathering of over 1,000 people and has clearly outgrown the family farm.  It is our plan to continue to honor those who serve, assist their families wherever possible, and continue to raise community awareness about our Military at home and abroad.

It is our wish to continue to provide packages to soldiers serving away from home, and in 2011 we hope to be able to assist with the construction of a new Farmington Veterans Memorial honoring those who have lost their lives in the service of their country and honoring all from Farmington who have served. 

This is a small way for us and our community to give back to these men and women who give so much for us.  We are proud to be able to support them and their families.