HELENA — It's Bob Valley Market's annual Hocks and Beans Giveaway, this year they're supporting The Salvation Army. If you donate to The Salvation Army on Saturday, Jan. 14 with food or funds, you'll be able to get some free hock and beans. Steven Bartmess, the owner of Bob's Valley Market, is ready for another event to give back to the community.
"Just being able to give back to the community is the best thing. I mean, that's what it's about," said Bartmess.
The Hock and Beans Giveaway has been going on for just around 10 years, and they're not stopping anytime soon.
The idea of the Hocks and Beans Giveaway was coined by Stephanie Jones, Bartmess' daughter. One of Jones' college projects was to think of an idea for a 'community project' and then it got her thinking, about what she and her father could start doing for the community.
"We have all these ham hocks from all the hands that we do at Montana Valley Hams, and they end up getting thrown away every year. And so I just got on it for a night and I was like, 'Hey Dad, why don't we partner with somebody and do like a food drive?'" said Jones.
This year, Bob's Valley Market partnered up with The Salvation Army, where if you donate to The Salvation Army with food or funds, you'll be able to get some free hock and beans.
This isn't the first time Bob's Valley Market has worked with The Salvation Army, they have some history with each other.
"They give back. They helped us out this year with bringing the red kettle, but they also help us in so many other ways. We actually come here to get some of our meat. They have a great meat department and so we use them on a regular basis. They also give some of their day old stuff to us that we actually put in our food pantry," said Major Brian West of The Salvation Army.
To Bartmess, giving back to the community, or nonprofit, is very important to him.
"Giving back to the community is is what, you know, any good merchants that do should do. I mean, we're we should always be looking to help out the community any way we can," said Bartmess.
The event will start at 6 a.m. January 14, and will go on until all the hocks and beans are gone.
