Photo By Derika Upshaw | Retired Sgt. Maj. Greg Ransaw, bank manager for PenFed Credit Union, and wife Doreen...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — The night of March 7, the Great Place Spouses’ Club invited the military community and others out for a wild time for their 40th annual Wild West Night at the Lone Star Conference Center.
“Wild West Night is one of the organization’s largest fundraisers of the year,” said Karissa Dolan, co-chair for the Wild West Night. “All the proceeds go back into the community via our outreach (program), and that gives grants out to the community.”
This was not just any Wild West Night; it was the 40th iteration held at Fort Hood, a milestone the spouses were honored to uphold. Lani Delrosario, co-chair for the event and Andrea Guyer, vice president of the club, said though this is a worldwide event held at multiple installations, having it here at Fort Hood makes it even more special.
“When you go to a different duty station, you’re looking forward to this event,” Delrosario said. “You’re looking forward to meeting people (and) giving back to the community.”
“I think Texas helps too, makes it a lot more fun with the community,” Guyer said.
Delrosario said her favorite part of the night is the live auction and how excited everyone gets to bid on the items. The event also hosted a silent auction with outings and items donated by the Fort Hood community, the Central Texas Community and even some out-of-state supporters; a casino area featuring games such as Texas Hold ‘em and Blackjack; a jail where friends and family are arrested and someone had to pay bail to get them out (individuals could even “bribe” the sheriff so you never have to go to jail); and a live performance by the 1st Cavalry Division Band ensemble team.
Retired Sgt. Maj. Greg Ransaw, bank manager at PenFed Credit Union at Fort Hood, and Chaplain (Capt.) Wisguy Joseph, 62nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced, 11th Corps Signal Brigade, both said they enjoyed the community fellowship of the event, and their favorite part was the jail cell.
“You see the food, you see the fun, you (hear) the music, but there’s a twist, and the twist is you may end up in jail if you’re not careful,” Ransaw said. “So, putting people in jail, that’s (my favorite part).”
“This was a big surprise for me,” Joseph said. “I saw a lady come and just grab me and say, ‘You are suspicious. You are going to jail,’” he described. “I’m telling you, this is a good experience. (My wife) took a picture that she’s going to send to my commander. Can you imagine? ‘Oh my, the chaplain in jail.’” This was Joseph’s first time attending, and he expressed his enjoyment of the event viewing it as a multicultural environment.
“I see like a family sense of belonging,” he said. “I see people walking around, sharing with each other, getting to know each other. This is amazing.”
Joseph and Ransaw felt this was a great event for service members to attend to gain that community feeling and not feel alone. They are going to try harder next year to get more Soldiers to join in the festivities.
Delrosario was thankful for everybody at Fort Hood and the Central Texas communities coming out and helping to celebrate 40 years of giving back to the community through this event.
“I think the message is, ‘Thank you,’” Delrosario expressed. “We appreciate the community that extends all the way out to Dallas and Houston, that we’ve had people donate (from). So, it’s not just Central Texas, but Texas in general that has really poured into the military community.”
The application for grants has closed for this year, but the Spouses’ Club is already gearing up for next year’s events that will sponsor the 2027 grant season. To join the Great Place Spouses’ Club or learn more information about upcoming events or grants, visit http://greatplacespousesclub.org/.
| Date Taken: | 03.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.19.2026 09:20 |
| Story ID: | 560819 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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