NORFOLK, Va. — VFW Post 4809 in Norfolk opened its doors Sunday to nearly 40 veterans from the Hampton VA Medical Center, serving a full Thanksgiving meal prepared by members and volunteers who spent the weekend getting everything ready.
State VFW Commander Douglas Hoffman said the annual tradition is a reminder of what the organization exists to do.
"This is what we do. We take care of our veterans, and that's what we're gonna continue to do no matter what they say. And we're gonna continue doing it," Hoffman said.
Inside the post’s banquet hall, veterans shared a meal alongside Post 4809 members, auxiliary volunteers and families. For many who served, the gathering offers a sense of home ahead of the holiday.
Laurie Fary, president of the Post 4809 auxiliary, said the dinner is meant to reach veterans who may have nowhere else to go this week.
“It's very humbling because you see all these vets—they're far away from home or if they even have any family still left, and they're like little lost children,” Fary said. “So to sit there and put something on like this to where they feel like they're a part of a family, it just, it's humbling.”
Fary said she hopes the event encourages more people to step forward and support their local veterans’ organizations.
Post Commander Ron Riffel said Sunday’s gathering has been part of the post’s identity for decades. He said the goal each year is to make sure every veteran feels welcome.
“There's a home here at 4809 for our veterans and their families,” he said.
For Riffel, the organization’s importance goes far beyond holiday meals.
“We pound the pavement and are the voices for our veterans that may not feel like they have a voice," he said.
The post plans to continue the Thanksgiving tradition next year.
