Jill Fleming is Canteen Manager at the American Legion Post on Alpine Boulevard. She says they have kept the canteen open so that veterans in the community can enjoy a hot meal even while isolating at home through the COVID pandemic.
“From five to eight, we’re open for takeout. We try to push for calls in advance so we can have dinner packed up and ready for pickup but if a veteran, or really anyone in the community shows up and needs dinner, we’ll put together a bag to go,” Fleming said.
She says they made the decision to keep on with the steak night that their regulars usually attend on the first Friday of each month, but have reassembled the feast in to-go boxes for the last two months.
“We were kind of leery about doing it to go but all of our volunteers have come in to help box it up and get it out the door. It has been a lot less work without having to do dishes and it has been different but still a great community event,” Fleming said.
Kitchen Manager Kristi Hayden said:
“We started doing everything to go and we’ve managed to pull off some pretty big holidays: corned beef, cabbage and potatoes for St. Patrick’s Day, we served a big Easter ham dinner to go, we sold out of our tacos for Cinco de Mayo and on Mother’s day we did a big meatloaf dinner that almost sold out. Pretty good, I’d say.”
Fleming said they are also planning a Memorial Day barbecue, modified for takeout instead of in-person socializing.
She says the key to ensuring the post can supply meals to veterans and their families while remaining safe during the pandemic is keeping everything extra clean with constant wipedowns after customers stop by to pick up food.
“We’re always gloved and masked if anyone comes in, we’re constantly wiping everything down. We’re making sure that everyone stays safe and being even more careful than usual to clean everything constantly,” Fleming said.
With about 15-25 meals being boxed up each week for takeout service at a post that usually sees guests linger and socialize over drinks, Fleming says the volunteers have gone above and beyond to help her get meals out the door.
“Our kitchen manager organizes dinner for the week but I also have two or three volunteers to relieve me and help out. They’re so helpful and actually, everything has been really positive and optimistic,” Fleming said.
Hayden said it is the volunteers primarily keeping everything running.
“We have a good group of ladies, it’s not our auxiliary just a great group who is passionate about helping out here and between Jill, myself and this group of ladies we’re keeping this place running,” Hayden said.
