Nonprofit asks community for help to support military members with appreciation ball 

IDAHO FALLS — A local nonprofit is hoping for the community’s help in raising funds for soldiers and their families to attend an upcoming event. 

Heroes Defense presents the ’25 Field Artillery Appreciation Ball on Feb. 22. The nonprofit is trying to show gratitude to the Idaho Army National Guard’s 1-148th Field Artillery Battalion. It will be held at the Mountain View Event Center in Pocatello. 

“It’s a large battalion of the National Guard that spans from Burley, Twin Falls area … all the way over to here (Idaho Falls) and up north to Rexburg, St. Anthony, and Island Park,” said Director for Heroes Defense Jesse Ferney. “The venue will fit 600-plus people for this type of event.”

The ball is a decades-old tradition planned and paid for by the soldiers and families themselves. After hearing that, Ferney said Heroes Defense wanted to step in and help somehow. 

“We’d love to raise the funds to cover the cost of this event. They come from the other side of the state to this event at their own expense,” Ferney said. “They give some awards out, they do some ceremonial stuff that’s specific to the military. They have a nice formal dinner.”

Ferney said the goal is to raise $20,000.

“Buying a single ticket for a soldier is $50. Buying a table is $400,” he said. 

Click here if you would like to contribute. There are different levels of sponsoring. This is not a public event. 

Ferney said that Heroes Defense organizers will also be out at the Idaho Falls Spud Kings Hockey game fundraising for the tickets on Friday at the Mountain America Center with a table and banner so people can find them. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. 

“We have an amazing community. We love our first responder community, police, fire and military,” he said.