By chance, Michael found that a former Army colleague that had been in one of his groups at the HALO school at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Arizona is now a ROTC instructor in Iowa City.  The ROTC was a co-sponsor of the Troops and TriHawks Triathlon in Coralville, Iowa.  The two of them came across one another in the finish line area, after Michael completed the race.

As a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 5544, Michael helped to collect funds to support the mentally handicapped.  The Knights of Columbus members volunteered for shifts outside of retail establishments in the Cedar Rapids area.  Michael worked his shift on September 17, 2005.

Fourteen tons of Iowa's finest sweet corn is sold and consumed during St. Jude Roman Catholic Parish's annual Sweet Corn Festival.  The festival is held every August and is open to the general public with free admission.  The festival features  all the sweet corn that one could want.  But sweet corn is not the only food that is consumed.  This year Michael J. McElmeel and Mack Martinez worked together selling brats  -- they sold food to hungry customers non-stop during their several hours of work on Saturday, August 20, 2005.