The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Honor Stop elevates recognition
Department on Aging creates new way to laud to veterans
Despite the novel coronavirus, the Geauga County Department on Aging felt like it still needed to honor area veterans, thus the Veterans Honor Stop was created.
“We brainstormed and came up with the idea that we would deliver a meal to their door,” said Sandy McLeod, West Geauga Senior Center’s supervisor. “It’s taken us four days. We have at least 65 stops.”
The meal deliveries, in conjunction with Ohman Family Living at Briar and Geauga County Veterans Services, were divided into communities, McLeod said. Veterans who are residents in the Chardon area were visited Nov. 12, two of which being Bob Smolik, a 94-year-old United States Navy veteran, and Joe Skoch, a 93-year-old United States Army veteran.
“It makes me humble,” Skoch said. “When the war was on, everybody wanted to go protect the country. It was just something you did. No big deal. After the war, they didn’t treat the veterans like they do today, which is a shame.”
Today, Skoch enjoys playing golf and “goofing off,” he said with a laugh, as well as doing things for his grandchildren. The recognition veterans receive on Veteran’s Day is like the reward they should have gotten a long time ago, he said.
It’s been an honor to be able to go out into the
community and show veterans love and respect, said Shaunna Gyorki of
the Geauga County Department on Aging, and a recreation and education assis
tant for the Middlefield Senior Center.
“They did their duty for their country and like (Skoch) was just saying — they didn’t always come home to such a wonderful experience,” Gyorki said. “I was talking to my uncle yesterday and he was in Vietnam. When he came home, he was spat at and no one should ever have to return from war and face that kind of treatment.”
For Gyorki to be able to give back to her community and to meet veterans who have lived for a long time, it’s been an enriching experience for her, she said.
“We did think about doing things virtually, but people are so isolated and
we really wanted to give them a lunch,” McLeod said. “Ohman Family at Briar said they would donate that lunch if we would deliver it.”
The meals were catered by Ferroni’s Allegro Cafe & Bistro in Middlefield and consisted of roast beef wraps, soup, salad and dessert. The veterans visited so far have been humble and have also shown up in either their military shirt or hat, McLeod said.
“The weather has been beautiful, so they’ve been able to come outside onto the steps,” she said. “We read what we’re going to say, we hand them their three gifts and tears come to their eyes — almost all of them. It’s very touching. They are so grateful.”