More than 100 veterans receive Thanksgiving meal through Norwin Elks program

Duane Myers of Hempfield was beaming Monday morning as he held pumpkin pies as part of the distribution of a Thanksgiving meal for veterans.

Myers was among those who received the food at the Norwin Elks in Manor.

The 94-year-old Myers was a Navy frogman during the Korean War. He was part of an underwater demolition team that eliminated mines in the hostile environments of North Korea and the Soviet Union.

“This is really nice (to get a meal). I’m by myself,” Myers said.

Myers and his friend who drove him to the site — Navy veteran Gary Bell of Scottdale, who was an aviation technician in the 1970s — were among the 110 veterans who received a meal. It included a frozen turkey or turkey breast, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, soup and stuffing, which allowed them to prepare the meal for themselves, their family and friends.

“This is absolutely wonderful,” said Lori Davis, a member of J. Howard Snyder Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 781 of North Huntingdon, whose husband, Robert, was in the Navy. Her son, Mike, a quartermaster at the VFW post, served in the Air Force.

The Norwin Elks joined forces with the Westmoreland County Veterans of the War on Terror and the Warriors of Chaos veterans motorcycle club to distribute the meals through an assembly line of volunteers who worked for about an hour. Many of those handing out the food were veterans serving fellow veterans.

“It’s a recognition for the veterans. We never, ever have a problem not getting enough volunteers to help,” said Don Rohac, an Army veteran who is director of veterans affairs at the Elks.

The Norwin Elks used to hold a pre-Thanksgiving luncheon before the covid pandemic ended that practice, Rohac said. After distributing about three dozen meals in 2020, the popularity of the Thanksgiving meal distribution has increased.

“It has grown and grown,” Rohac said.

About 10 volunteers helped pack the meals Saturday for distribution Monday. The Norwin Elks received support from several restaurants, supermarkets, businesses and veterans groups that donated food, money and supplies for the meals, Rohac said.

One of the volunteers helping with the distribution was Steve “Gomez” Graves, 82, of Monroeville, who served in the Army in Vietnam in the 1960s.

“I want to help the veterans,” said Graves, whose daughter, Stephanie, served in the Air Force.

Graves, a member of the motorcycle club, was wearing his club jacket and a chain around his neck that held the dog tags he wore in Vietnam, where he was wounded. More than five decades after he served, he still could rattle off his serial number stamped on the dog tags.

“It was a crazy experience,” Graves said.

One of those who donated, Joe Bruce, who owns an engine repair shop in Penn Township, said he was happy to help. His stepson, Seth Stoyanoff, was in the Marine Corps.

“Whatever I can do, I will do,” he said, adding he hopes to continue to offer support in the future.