St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and 30 mayors from around the state will help serve steak dinners Saturday to 3,000 family members of Minnesota soldiers serving in Kuwait.
At the same time, Minnesota restaurateurs and public relations people will serve 13,000 steak dinners to Minnesota soldiers and their colleagues at five military bases in Kuwait.
About 2,700 Minnesota National Guard soldiers from the 34th Red Bull Infantry are on duty there.
The Serving Our Troops program has been feeding troops overseas and their families at home since 2004.
About 50 Minnesotans, including Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede and former St. Paul City Council Member Pat Harris — as well as local restaurant owners Dan O'Gara, John Mancini, John Tinucci and others — are in Kuwait firing up the grills on that end.
The Saturday program at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center will include Skype stations, so family members and soldiers can video chat. Lunch is served starting at 11:30 a.m.