CINCINNATI, Ohio — For nearly two decades, the Service Guild has honored the veterans who are part of the Ohio Valley Goodwill family with a home-cooked meal and heartfelt appreciation, and this week the tradition continued at the annual Veterans Day Luncheon, Ohio Valley Goodwill said in a November 11 post on its website.
The annual luncheon began in 2008, when a former Service Guild member recognized an opportunity to do something special for the veterans living in Ohio Valley Goodwill’s on-site, 15-bed veterans dorm for those experiencing homelessness, Goodwill said. Her idea was simple: prepare a home-cooked meal to show these veterans how much they are appreciated. That gesture has grown into one of the organization’s most cherished annual traditions.
Each year, the Service Guild members prepare a feast complete with homemade rolls, ham, sides and homemade cookies, Goodwill said. The luncheon brings together current residents of the veterans dorm and Ohio Valley Goodwill employees who have served in the military for an afternoon of food, fellowship and recognition during the week of Veterans Day.
Led by President Sue Burreson, the Service Guild continues to make the gathering possible year after year, Goodwill said. Their work ensures the veterans feel celebrated, appreciated and never forgotten.
The highlight of this year’s luncheon was the presentation of the annual Ohio Valley Goodwill Veteran of the Year Award, which recognizes a veteran not only for military service, but also for resilience, personal growth, perseverance and positive impact on the dorm community, Goodwill said. This year’s recipient was Donald Elliott, a current resident of the veterans dorm.
Tabetha Brown, manager of the veterans dorm, presented Elliott with the award and recognized the example he sets through his attitude, actions and commitment to himself and those around him, Goodwill said. Along with the recognition, Elliott received a $100 check from the Service Guild. As Brown shared during the presentation, in Goodwill’s account, strength is not always about having everything figured out — sometimes it is about showing up, trying again, supporting those around you and refusing to give up on yourself.
Ohio Valley Goodwill said it is grateful to Burreson and the entire Service Guild for keeping the tradition alive since 2008 — for the kindness, the countless hours in the kitchen and the commitment that make the luncheon more than a meal. It is, in the organization’s words, a reminder that veterans are valued members of the Ohio Valley Goodwill family.
The luncheon is one piece of Goodwill’s year-round work with veterans in the Cincinnati area, anchored by the dorm that gives veterans experiencing homelessness a place to live while they rebuild. For the residents who sat down to this year’s meal, the message of the afternoon was the same one the Service Guild has delivered since 2008: your service is remembered, and so are you.
Photo: EEJCC, CC BY-SA 4.0 — downtown Cincinnati viewed from Devou Park.