AMVETS Post 109 in Mentor-on-the-Lake sponsors a Thanksgiving Dinner for seniors and veterans annually.
This year, the dinner was Nov. 22, and from what I have been told, it was a very enjoyable evening. How do I know? My mother was one of those in attendance.
Mom lives at Andrews Place Apartments. The residents are a fun bunch and do a number of get-togethers throughout the year.
AMVETS Post 109 invites the seniors to the post for a Thanksgiving dinner and handles all the arrangements for the transportation to and from the apartment building. The dinner is followed with trivia games and bingo.
Mom couldn’t wait to tell me all about the wonderful meal and what a great job the post members had done in making everyone feel so comfortable at the post. Her enjoyment was evident when she related the evenings events to me.
Thank you AMVETS Post 109. It was a job well done by the post members, sons, and auxiliary. The evening is getting rave reviews. Keep up the great work.

Lakeland Civic Band to present ‘A Pearl Harbor Remembrance’
Lakeland Civic Band will present a special concert at 4 p.m. Dec. 7 in the Wayne L. Rodehorst Performing Arts Center at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland. The theme will be “A Pearl Harbor Remembrance” and will feature a salute to all the United States Armed Forces. This program was first presented Dec. 7, 2008, and was a great success with a capacity audience.
Civic Band Director Charles Frank will be assisted by guest conductor Matthew Salvaggio and narrator Herman Rueger. The concert will include musical tributes to each of the armed forces and music from World War II. Adult tickets will be $7; senior tickets are $6 and students will be charged $2. Tickets are available at the door or by calling 440-525-7134.

Annual Pearl Harbor Day dinner at Hellriegel’s
The Annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Dinner will begin with an open bar at 1700 hours (5 p.m.), followed by a steak dinner at 1800 hours (6 p.m.), on Dec. 7 at Hellriegel’s Inn, 1840 Mentor Ave. in Painesville Township.
The guest speaker will be retired Col. Timothy Gorrell, director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services. Spouses and attendants are welcome. Tickets are $35 per person. To reserve tickets, call 440-354-9530.
Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms or a part of the uniform.

Burton post will host Pearl Harbor Day Memorial service
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, of Burton-Middlefield will host a Pearl Harbor Day Memorial at 11 a.m. Dec. 7 at the village gazebo in Burton. The public is encouraged to attend. For details, call Bo at 440-834-8764.

Gunny’s Hall serving daily lunches
Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Road in Mentor, is serving daily lunches from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and fish fry dinners on Friday evenings. There are also weekly specials offered.
For details, call the hall at 440-974-9380.

Creations for veterans
Join Geauga Park District and Operation S.T.A.T. at the West Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road in Russell Township, for a make-and-give event from noon to 3 p.m., Dec. 6 and 7.
Help create patriotic evergreen door swags for veterans at Veterans Affairs hospitals to show that they are not forgotten during the holiday season. Supplies will be provided.
For details, call MaryRuth Shumway at 216-905-8081.

Toys for Tots collection points
Red Roof Inns are one of the many drop-off locations for Toys for Tots.
During the holiday season, Red Roof Inn sponsors the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Foundation so that the tradition of giving hope and smiles to children will continue. Red Roof locations in the Cleveland area will collect new unwrapped toys in the lobbies through Dec. 15.

USAM to host pasta dinner
The United States Aviation Museum, sponsor of the Annual Gathering of Eagles air show, will host a pasta dinner at La-Vera Party Center, 32200 Chardon Road in Willoughby Hills from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 7.
Tickets are $30 each. All proceeds will benefit the Gathering of Eagles air show.
For information, call Don Manno at 440-442-4151.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

The holidays are almost here.
Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and of course, the shopping hysteria right behind that. A wide variety of programs are available to help those in need.
While shopping for the perfect gift for everyone on the list, please remember to pick up an extra toy for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program, or perhaps while at the grocery store, buy an extra bag of beef jerky for a USO care package.
Donations to any number of reputable agencies will help see that our troops are remembered at the holidays. The toys that are distributed by Toys for Tots are a small guarantee that every child has a Christmas.
It wouldn’t be the holiday season at the mall without the Marines in their dress blue uniforms collecting for Toys for Tots. I look forward to seeing them every year.

Annual Pearl Harbor Day dinner at Hellriegel’s
The Annual Pearl Harbor Remembrance Dinner will begin with an open bar at 1700 hours (5 p.m.), followed by a steak dinner at 1800 hours (6 p.m.), Dec. 7 at Hellriegel’s Inn, 1840 Mentor Ave. in Painesville Township.
The guest speaker will be retired Col. Timothy Gorrell, director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services.
Spouses and attendants are welcome. Tickets are $35 per person. To reserve tickets call 440-354-9530.
Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms or a part of the uniform.

Gunny’s Hall serving daily lunches
Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Road in Mentor, is serving daily lunches from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and fish fry dinners on Friday evenings. There are also weekly specials offered. For details, call the hall at 440-974-9380.

Veterans’ cards offered at Morley Library Saturday
Representatives of the Lake County Recorder’s Office will be at Morley Public Library, 184 Phelps St. in Painesville, from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 22 to register Lake County veterans for the County Veterans ID Card. Veterans need to bring the original or a certified copy of their DD-214 and a photo ID. For details about the card, call the Recorder’s Office at 440-350-2508.

Burton post will host Pearl Harbor Day Memorial service
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, of Burton-Middlefield, will host a Pearl Harbor Day Memorial at 11 a.m. Dec. 7 at the village gazebo in Burton.
The public is encouraged to attend. For details, call Bo at 440-834-8764.

Euclid Legion Auxiliary Unit hosts craft show
The Ladies Auxiliary Unit of Euclid American Legion Post 343 will host a craft show at the post home, 20750 Arbor Ave. in Euclid, from 4 to 9 p.m., Nov. 21 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 22.
The public is welcome. For more details, call Mary at 216-289-7388.

Willoughby Legion post hosts vendor fair
American Legion Post 214, 4304 Center St. in Willoughby, will host a vendor fair from noon to 5 p.m. at the post home Nov. 23. The sale is open to the public and the auxiliary will host a bake sale.
Vendors will include Mary Kay, Tupperware, Beauty Control, Jamberry Nails, Avon, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, Silpada, Party Lite and Tastefully Simple. Funds raised from the event will be used for American Legion Auxiliary sanctioned programs.

Creations for veterans
Join Geauga Park District and Operation S.T.A.T. at the West Woods Nature Center, 9465 Kinsman Road in Russell Township, for a make-and-give event from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7.
Help create patriotic evergreen door swags for veterans at Veterans Affairs hospitals to show that they are not forgotten during the holiday season. Supplies will be provided.
For details, call MaryRuth Shumway at 216-905-8081.

Toys for Tots collection points
Red Roof Inns are one of the many drop-off locations for Toys for Tots. During the holiday season, Red Roof Inn sponsors the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Foundation so that the tradition of giving hope and smiles to children will continue.
Red Roof locations in the Cleveland area will collect new unwrapped toys in the lobbies through Dec. 15.

USAM to host pasta dinner
The United States Aviation Museum, sponsor of the annual Gathering of Eagles air show, will host a pasta dinner at La-Vera Party Center, 32200 Chardon Road in Willoughby Hills, from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 7.
Tickets are $30 each. All proceeds will benefit the Gathering of Eagles air show.
For more information, call Don Manno at 440-442-4151.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Veterans Day has come and gone for another year. I have to say I was surprised by the many events and free offers for veterans throughout the area.
It is heartwarming to see so many schools, clubs and private businesses step up to recognize the service and sacrifice of all those that served.
The holiday season is now only a few weeks away. Most of the posts will be putting together food baskets and care items for families in the post home area. The baskets are put together from donations and distributed in the post home area in most cases. That means that the baskets are being delivered to neighbors.
If donating items is not to your liking, then volunteer to help pack or distribute the baskets. It’s been almost 25 years and I can still remember the first time I volunteered to pack baskets for a holiday as one of the best days spent at a post. Everyone was happy and doing something constructive and helpful at the same time.

AMVETS Rock-A-Thon a success
AMVETS Post 1971, 4129 Main St. in Perry, raised $1,770 during the 18th annual Rock-A-Thon for Hospice of the Western Reserve. Rockers and sponsors rocked the day away in front of the post home in Perry. Each year, the post sponsors the event to help raise funds for the hospice. The annual event is open to anyone who would like to volunteer or sponsor a rocker. For details about the next Rock-A-Thon, call the post at 440-259-5131.

Breakfast at Gunny’s Hall
Gunny’s Hall, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, will host a Sunday Breakfast Buffet that is open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays between Labor Day and Memorial Day. The cost is $7.50 per person and special orders are available. For details, call the hall at 440-974-9380.

AMVETS serving breakfast
Sons of AMVETS Post 109, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake, will serve breakfast on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Breakfast will be $5 per person and is open to the public. For details, call the post at 440-257-9217.

VFW hosts fish fry
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7754, 540 New St. in Fairport Harbor, will host a fish fry Nov. 14 at the post home. Lunch will be served 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and dinner will be served 4 to 7 p.m.
Because of the holiday, this will be the only fish fry served this month. For more information, call 440-352-1123.

WWII and Korean Veterans eat free
Sons of the American Legion of American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville, will serve a free dinner to veterans of World War II and Korea from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 15. The veterans and their spouses will be served free, guests will be served for $10.
For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Leroy VFW hosts pork chop dinner
Leroy-Thompson VFW Post 7939, 12827 Painesville-Warren Road, Leroy Township will host a pork chop dinner 5 to 7 p.m., Nov. 15, at the post home. Dinner will be $12 per person. For details call the post home at 440-254-0609.

Work party to lower flags in Eastlake
The Eastlake Boulevard of 500 Flags volunteer Committee will host a work party at 9 a.m. Nov. 15 to lower the flags.
The parties are open to anyone who would like to volunteer. Volunteer should bring work gloves.
The Boulevard of 500 Flags is maintained by volunteers and donations. For information about volunteering, call 440-951-1416.

Veterans Hospitality Dinner in Kirtland
A Veterans Hospitality Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Nov. 19, at the Old South Church, 9802 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland.
The family event is designed to bring area veterans together in appreciation of their service. This will be the last dinner sponsored by the Ghost Rider Foundation.

Toys for Tots collection point
Red Roof Inns are one of the many drop-off locations for Toys for Tots.
During the holiday season, Red Roof Inn sponsors the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation so that the tradition of giving hope and smiles to children will continue.
Red Roof locations in the Cleveland area will collect new unwrapped toys in the lobbies through Dec. 15.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn.: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094; fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.