Butcher helps soldiers' families

The butcher processes and then donates the venison given to him.
DULUTH NEWS TRIBUNE
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. -- Dusk descends over the woods north of Grand Rapids, but fluorescent light glows from the window of Earl Burnson's butcher shop. Inside, the bandsaw hums, and Burnson's sure hands guide a whitetail's rib cage past the pulsating blade.
By day, Burnson cuts meat for Cub Foods in town. During the evenings in deer season, he processes venison at his "Leave It To Cleaver" shop adjoining his home just off Minnesota Highway 38. But the deer he's carving up now won't net him a cent. A hunter donated it to Burnson. After cutting it up, Burnson will donate it to families in the area who have National Guard soldiers serving in Iraq.
"I got to meet some of the families, and they said, 'Yeah, we like venison, but we won't be getting any this year,"' said Burnson, 54. "That's all they had to say."
Burnson put the word out to a few hunters he knew, and the deer began coming in. Already, he has processed about 20, and more are hanging in his cooler, waiting their turn.
He shuts down the bandsaw now and begins carving the loins. His hands move quickly, flicking the knife in precise strokes. Soon, butterflied chops are stacked on a sheet of waxed paper. Down the counter from him, Doug Block of Warba and Jake Dunnell of Deer River trim burger meat from the whitetail's shoulders. They, too, are donating their time. Others who have pitched in with Burnson include Jim Casper of Balsam, Julie McAdams of Grand Rapids, and Burnson's wife, Bobbie.
Many families in area
The National Guard company based in Grand Rapids is "C" Company of the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 136th Infantry. The unit deployed to Mississippi for active duty in October 2005 and began shipping over to Iraq in March. About 100 soldiers serve in the company, and many of the families live in Grand Rapids or on the Iron Range.
Burnson was collecting money around Grand Rapids to purchase beef jerky for the soldiers when he began meeting the soldiers' families. He realized many in the Guard unit were deer hunters but wouldn't be home to hunt this fall. Burnson was in the perfect position to help. He operates a state-inspected butchering business, so he can legally donate the venison he processes. He's donating it to the unit, which will distribute it to families who sign up.
Burnson's generosity is highly appreciated by the families.
"I think he's awesome," said Jodi Wood of Grand Rapids, whose husband is in the unit. "He's so generous to offer his time and skills in processing it for us."
"I think it's great that they've taken the initiative to do this without being approached and asked to do it," said Nicole Felten of Mountain Iron, whose husband, David, serves with the unit in Iraq. "That is the part we all appreciate the most."
Most families wouldn't have asked to have venison donated, she said.
"Nobody likes to beg, or to say, 'I can't do this. Can you help me?"' Felten said.
David Felten is a deer hunter, Nicole said. "And he's cringing at the fact that there's snow on the ground and he's not here deer hunting," she said.
He loves venison jerky, so Nicole knows she'll be making several batches once she receives the venison that Burnson provides.
Sam Hunter, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer in Grand Rapids, has donated six deer.
"One was confiscated [from a hunter]," she said. "I shot one. My mom shot one. A couple were from a guy in my hometown. One was from another guy in our party."