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<h1><span style="font-size: 12pt;">****HPS Mechanical Press Release****</span></h1>
<p>7/9/10, 9:00 a.m.</p>
<p><a rel="lightbox" href="images/stories/About_Us/Community_Service/Cooks_of_the_Valley/les_cooking.jpg"><img src="images/stories/About_Us/Community_Service/Cooks_of_the_Valley/les_cooking.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><strong><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">HPS President, Les DenHerder </span></em></strong><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">(</span></em><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;">Click on Photo for Larger Image)</span></em><strong><em><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><br /></span></em></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt;">HPS Mechanical President Les DenHerder recently travelled with a local group of volunteers to Bahrain</span> to serve a steak dinner to the troops for the Fourth of July.&nbsp; Supporting our troops has always been close to Les' heart and this was his small token of thanks to those who are currently and have in the past fought for our freedom. Below are additional articles about this incredible trip.</p>
<h1><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cooks from the Valley Serve Steak in Bahrain</span></h1>
<div><strong><a target="_blank" rel="lightbox" href="https://cnic.navy.mil/CNIC_HQ_Site/NewsAndCurrentInfo/CNICP_A165175">CNIC News And Current Info</a></strong></div>
<p><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><a rel="lightbox" href="images/stories/About_Us/Community_Service/Cooks_of_the_Valley/troops_eating.jpg"><img src="images/stories/About_Us/Community_Service/Cooks_of_the_Valley/troops_eating.jpg" width="300" /></a><br /><strong><em>Troops of the USS Nassau enjoying their steak dinner </em></strong></span><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><em><br />(</em><em>Click on Photo for  Larger Image)</em></span><strong><em><br /><br /> </em></strong></p>
<div><span style="font-size: 10pt;">7/7/10 7:38 AM</span></div>
<p>By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason T. Poplin, Naval Support Activity Bahrain Public Affairs</p>
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- More than 1,500 service members, civilians and their families stationed in Bahrain spent July 4 enjoying a free steak dinner complements of the California-based Cooks from the Valley.<br /><br />Nearly 60 chefs from this all-volunteer organization brought more than 13,000 Harris Ranch, 12-ounce New York center cut steaks to troops in the 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility, including service members on board Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa, and the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4).<br /><br />"The steaks, corn, potato and watermelon were absolutely delicious," said NSA Bahrain Commanding Officer Capt. Rick Sadsad. "The Cook's presence here means a lot to all of us, and we sincerely appreciate their hospitality and generosity."<br /><br />Despite temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit at dinner time in Bahrain and smoke billowing from seven charcoal grills manned by the cooks and other volunteers, people lined up to receive their food before sitting at nearby picnic tables to enjoy their meals. <br /><br />Cooks from the Valley founder Thomas Anton says the secret to cooking a great steak is to sear it quickly and turn it often while keeping the meat seasoned with a combination of oil, garlic and special seasoning.<br />Anton, who has served steak to service members from various locations including Pearl Harbor; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and multiple carrier groups; has developed his cooking technique since serving his first steaks on board the USS Chandler (DDG 996) more than 25 years ago.<br /><br />"I wouldn't be anywhere else and I mean that," said Anton. "It brings tears to my eyes because our service members are the finest."<br /><br />Anton's sentiments were echoed by other volunteers who are a diverse group of U.S. citizens that contribute their time and money to demonstrate their support for America's fighting men and women at home and abroad. According to David Gay, a Vietnam veteran and Cooks from the Valley volunteer, many in the group have sons and daughters serving in the military.<br /><br />"It's really important to the older guys here that these young men and women have more respect than what we received when we came back home from Vietnam," said Gay. "We're just trying to let them know how much we appreciate them."<br /><br />The steaks were delivered to the Middle East theater by Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VR) 57. The San Diego based squadron, also known as the "Conquistadors," used one of its three C40A Clipper aircraft to transport the more than 15,000 pounds of steak, ice and cooks approximately 9,000 miles to complete the Cooks from the Valley's mission.<br /><br />VR 57's Commanding Officer Cmdr. Bill Crump said the mission's success is accredited to the contributions of more than 200 people in places as diverse as Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, Bahrain's Commander Task Force (CTF) 53, CTF 63 in Naples, VR 57's operations department, the squadron's multiple pilots and air crew in addition to countless others who helped facilitate the transportation and temporary storage/housing of the cooks and their precious cargo.<br /><br />"We're just honored to be a part this mission as we are with every mission in support of our troops," said Crump.<br /><br />Multiple organizations, including NSA's Morale, Welfare and Recreation department made this endeavor possible. <br /><br />"It was just like a home cooked meal, but right here on base," said Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Kevin Nelson. "It was amazing!"<br /><br />His sentiments were echoed by Sadsad.<br /><br />"The Cooks from the Valley have proven they're the best," said Sadsad.
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<h3 class="StoryTitle"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Cooks From the Valley have returned</span></h3>
<div class="StoryContributors"><a href="http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/The-Cooks-From-the-Valley-have-returned/S_IcJZOgYUq5FTGg6x923Q.cspx" title="The Cooks from the Valley have returned">KGET-17, Bakersfield CA</a></div>
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<div><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><em><strong>HPS President Les DenHerder serves the troops <br /></strong>(</em><em>Click on Photo for  Larger Image)</em></span><strong><em><br /><br /> </em></strong></div>
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<p>A&nbsp;group of local cooks has returned to Bakersfield, after spending the 4th of July weekend with troops in the Middle East.<br /><br />They fed nearly 14,000 men and women in one day.<br /><br />"July fourth was kind of emotional, actually," said Glenn Porter, a volunteer with the Cooks From&nbsp;the Valley. "We had people coming up to us saying you know, it's like a touch from home. To have these steaks that were brought in fresh, not frozen. They're not baked in an oven, they were cooked on a barbecue."<br /><br />Porter grilled steaks at the military forward operating base Camp Lemonneir in Djibouti, Africa.<br /><br />Another group of volunteers cooked for the sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nassau in the Indian Ocean.<br /><br />And another team grilled Harris Ranch steaks for troops at two naval air stations in Bahrain.<br /><br />"58 cooks. And by the end of the&nbsp;barbecue on July 4th, all of the cows that we brought into the theater from California were present and accounted for," said Tom Anton of the Cooks From the Valley.<br /><br />The cooks came home to Bakersfield Wednesday afternoon with a sense of pride and accomplishment.<br /><br />They say reaction from troops ranged from surprise to disbelief that these patriotic citizens from Kern County would travel thousands of miles just to celebrate America's birthday with them.<br /><br />Jeff Peters remembers the thanks from one soldier in particular.<br /><br />"She gave me about four or five bear hugs and kept saying 'I cant believe you people came all the way over here from California' and she told me thank you, thank you, over and over and over, and just how wonderful it was and she appreciated it. They really did! It was amazing." <br /><br />Cooks From the Valley already has its next trip planned.</p>
<p>On Veterans Day, they will travel to Europe to barbecue steaks for our troops there.</p>
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