More than 70 volunteers helped the American Legion prepare and deliver Christmas dinners.
With each passing Thanksgiving and Christmas, the need for holiday meals is increasing with the county’s senior population.
Fallon’s American Legion Fred W. Anderson Post 16 packaged and delivered 152 Christmas meals to residents dependent on the Meals on Wheels program.
Organizer Paul “Pip” Valentin said the number of meals prepared, packaged and delivered on Christmas day is the most in the four-decade history of Post 16’s outreach. During the other days of the week, the Churchill County William N. Pennington Life Center delivers the meals except for the two major holidays at the end of the year.
Valentin said the community should be proud of the county’s deliveries handled by more than 30 volunteer drivers from the military and Fallon communities.
“The people with the Meals on Wheels program make this happen every single day,” said the Marine Corps veteran. “It’s an honor we get to do this twice a year.
In addition to volunteer drivers crisscrossing the western part of Churchill County, Valentin said the legion opens its doors to the community for a free Christmas dinner.
“Our doors are always open and welcoming to the military who can’t go home,” he said.
Steve Ranson/LVN
The American Legion’s Paul Valentin, right, gives instructions to the Christmas day volunteers who will deliver meals to senior citizens.
The number of turkeys and hams along with the extras is similar to the preparation with the Thanksgiving meals. Lead chef Alex Riddle listed the day’s output: 13 hams and seven turkeys along with 150 pounds of potatoes, 35 loaves of bread, 17 pound each of onions and celery and seven gallons of gravy.
“We have very little leftovers,” Riddle said. “That’s why we upped our totals for the 152 meals.”
Riddle said it’s amazing about the number of people who depend on these meals.
Helping Riddle in the kitchen was Wisconsin native Anthony Alberto, who’s been in Fallon since August. Alberto said he feels he found a home at the American Legion.
“I came here to meet the members and hang out getting to know the people,” he said, adding the community has “some pretty cool people.”
Alberto, who enlisted in the Navy five years ago, is assigned to fleet readiness.
Newcomers from the community also volunteered Christmas morning, including David and Susan Hurd.
“This is a good thing to day,” said Susan Hurd, “This is our first time doing this.”
David Hurd is a Navy veteran, having served several years in a submarine.
Sheena Openshaw said she and her husband attend Friday night dinners at the legion hall.
“We’ve met some really nice people here,” she said. “They do a really good thing.”
Although this may be the first time they have volunteered to help with the holiday meals, the Openshaws volunteered with their church in the San Diego area before moving to Fallon.
“We would go down to San Diego on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas helping the homeless people through our church,” she said.
Steve Ranson/LVN
Michelle Baysinger, left, helps Pat LeClaire bag a meal.
Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe Chairwoman Cathi Tuni was also a first-time volunteer. She said it’s important to assist the tribal and Fallon communities.
“My dad was a member of the Army,” she said.
Tuni said she was impressed with the American Legion staff and their organization of the meals.
“They have a very good staff, very organized,” she said.
After the meals were packaged and ready to send with the drivers, Valentin encouraged the volunteers to spend a little time talking to the people receiving the meals.
“They are part of our community family like all of you are,” he said.