The Peltier Brothers band includes Dennis, Leo, Joe, Rick and Scott Peltier. (Courtesy of Jeanette Peltier)

BARK RIVER — Brothers Joe and Rick Peltier will host their first Veterans Fundraiser, with all proceeds going to Upper Peninsula Honor Flight, from 3-7 p.m. Saturday in the barn Joe calls “Freedom Hall,” 2026 Old U.S. 2/41 in Bark River.

The Peltier Band of Brothers will provide live music at what they plan to make an annual event. They anticipate a turnout of about 300 to 500 people Saturday.

The day also will have gun raffles, 50-50 raffles and a silent auction. Several members of the community have donated raffle items for the event, Joe Peltier stated on the brothers’ Facebook page.

Joe Peltier said he was inspired to start something to support the veterans when looking at an old shed on his property one day.

“There’s something I’ve always wanted to do for the veterans, you know. One day I was here — we have kind of an old, broken-down shed here, and I said, ‘Well, you know, I’m gonna tear that s–t down and put up a big red, white and blue building, and we’re going to call it ‘Freedom Hall’ — something special every year for the veterans,” Joe Peltier said.

The Intravenous Coffee Company of Bark River will have its food truck at the event. Owner Craig Jenson, a friend of the Peltier family, has taken the food truck throughout the U.P., northern Wisconsin and Tennessee, where he was based for more than a decade. Jenson supports efforts for veterans, law enforcement and first responders, so he enthusiastically responded to the Peltiers’ request to be part of the fundraiser.

“Our business plan, and what we want to do, is we’re pretty community focused, so fundraisers and events like this are something that we’ll be heavily involved in,” Jenson said.

Side-by-sides are welcome and lots of parking will be available on the Peltiers’ property.

The brothers aim to host the second-annual Veterans Fundraiser sometime next spring of 2026, perhaps on Memorial Day weekend.

The Upper Peninsula Honor Flight is the local hub of the National Honor Flight Network. The non-profit organization transports veterans to the Washington D.C. area to visit memorials erected in their honor.

“We are accepting applications from all veterans who served from 1941 to May of 1975 to see the memorials that stand. Whether they served during war time or peace time and state side or over seas” is stated on the Upper Peninsula Honor Flight website.

The Upper Peninsula Honor Flight’s first mission dates back to Sept. 22, 2011. The next flight is scheduled for Sept. 17. To see a full list of the UPHF’s missions, go online to https://www.uphonorflight.org/missions.