Dawning of a new day at Dakota’s

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kimberly Moore Limrick
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Ellsworth members can expect to see changes at Dakota's as new club management implements fresh ideas and goals. 

Garry Shaffer, Dakota's Club manager, brings with him 10 years of managing the enlisted club at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. In his new position, Mr. Shaffer looks forward to the journey ahead. 

"Coming to Ellsworth is a wonderful opportunity," he said. "This is a great facility with a lot of capability to expand," Mr. Shaffer said. "I look forward to revamping the club through an expanded menu and wider variety of activities." 

Expansion of the menu will focus on the lunch buffets, hot and cold deli items that can be ordered and taken to-go if needed and changing the Friday night dining, Mr. Shaffer said. The new manager is looking for ideas and suggestions from the community on expanding the menu to make it more useful and more popular. 

Ideas from the community are important to Mr. Shaffer because they are the foundation of Dakota's. 

"My staff and I will strive to serve the customer's every need and provide service, quality and excellence beyond their expectations," Mr. Shaffer said. "I believe a manager must take a hands-on approach to ensure each person or activity receives a product or service beyond anything that can be received elsewhere." 

Without input, the club cannot be successful in serving customers' needs. "I'd love to hear the community's ideas and look forward to providing them with what they want," said Mr. Shaffer. 

In addition to meeting customer needs like any downtown business operation Dakota's must also finance all of their expenses. If they don't make a profit, some activities and events must be eliminated or replaced by more profitable alternatives like tournaments.
Fortunately, customers have made Texas Hold 'Em tournament one of the club's most popular events and the club staff looks forward to restructuring and hosting this event again soon, with better prizes and rewards, Mr. Shaffer said. 

The Ellsworth community can also look forward to seeing the menu changes implemented and the Texas Hold 'Em tournament brought back this fall following the busy summer. 

During the summer the club will be consumed by the responsibility of serving over 1200 Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets, who, for their three months of training here, use the club for three meals a day, seven days a week. 

"We are delighted about the new vision Mr. Shaffer has for our club," said Col. Bruce Emig, 28th Bomb Wing vice commander. "Under his leadership, I'm confident he will take Dakota's to new heights." 

"This summer, he and his staff will, of course, be focused on the enormous task of feeding the ROTC cadets who come here for encampments each year," Colonel Emig said. "But come this fall, the Ellsworth community will be pleased to see some exciting changes that Garry has planned." 

For more information or to have your suggestion heard, call Mr. Shaffer at 385-1765 or email him at garrison.shaffer@ellsworth.af.mil.