VFW draws former military, concerned volunteers to attend post's annual community Christmas dinner

Russ Warner from Rancho Cucamonga Kiwanis Club serves a Christmas meal for James Harner of Ontario during a Christmas meal celebration Sunday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars meeting hall in Rancho Cucamonga. (James Carbone/Correspondent)

RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Vern Aceree looked up from his Christmas dinner plate Sunday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post to impart a bit of wit.

The 82-year-old Upland man, who fought with the Marine Corps during World War II, says he might not be able to hear anything, but he still can talk.

"I could be a politician," he says.

It was a time for veterans, their families and the general public at the VFW Post 8680's annual holiday dinner. It's the third year the post has held the event.

"We're geared up to serve about 300 people," said Jim Fettig, who organized the dinner.

Rancho Cucamonga residents and the VFW donated 12 turkeys, four hams and 80 pounds of potatoes, along with a variety of trimmings

Lorene Owens of Torrance (left) and Vern Aceree of Upland enjoy a Christmas meal. (James Carbone/Correspondent)

and desserts.

Volunteers lined up to fill up plates with food for the guests, while others sat at tables to keep veterans company.

Skip and Carol Dunn of Upland had been searching for a site to volunteer on Christmas Day and were delighted when they found out the VFW was holding an event.

It turns out Skip Dunn is a veteran himself. He was drafted into the Army in 1966 and served during the Vietnam War.

"There's so many people that don't have money. They're hungry and this will help them," said Carol Dunn.

Susan Goodsell and her daughter, Kelsey Duque, of Riverside volunteered to honor Goodsell's brother, Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Blake Pospisil, a bomb technician who was killed in Iraq in 2005.

"We thought, for Christmas Day, this would be a cool thing to do," Goodsell said.

James Harner, 87, of Ontario, came to the dinner with his son, Jay. The elder Harner served during World War II for the Navy. He's not a member of the Rancho Cucamonga post, but he praised the VFW for honoring veterans.

"It's wonderful," he said.

A few civilians stopped by to visit as well.

David Lee of Upland took two dinners to go because his 83-year-old mother was at home.

"It's rough for her to get out," he said.

Regardless of people's connection to the military, Carol Dunn said the point of the dinner, and Christmas itself, is about giving to others.

"It's about love. It's not just about gifts," she said. "This is our way of showing love for our fellow man."

Reach Melissa via email or call her at 909-386-3878.

Source: http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_19618458?source=rss

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