Restaurant serves Thanksgiving gratitude so veterans don’t eat alone

GREENFIELD - As Patrick Goyette finished his turkey dinner, he couldn't help but think how times have changed. 

"When I was in the Army, people used to spit on us. Now they're feeding us," said Goyette, 68, a Vietnam veteran.

Goyette and Brian Evans, who served in the Army in the late 1970s, tucked into plates filled with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, green bean casserole, salad and fresh fruit on Thanksgiving with other veterans at Route 76 Diner in Greenfield. Several varieties of pies topped off with whipped cream were served for dessert.

The restaurant opened a few weeks ago and owner Omar Hamdan partnered with the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative to serve 67 veterans a free Thanksgiving meal. Hamdan said he plans to do it again next Thanksgiving for veterans who are homeless, don't have a place to go on the holiday or want to share a meal with other veterans.

"Omar said he just wanted to feed vets and we're OK with that," said Tom Williams, president of the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative board.

Leftovers following the meal were given to Milwaukee Street Angels Outreach, which provides meals to the homeless. Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative members connected with some vets who came to the meal and learned of those who are close to homelessness and need home support services such as furniture donations.

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Evans and Goyette sat at a table listening to an Elvis impersonator clad in a gold lame jacket sing "Blue Suede Shoes" and "G.I. Blues."

"It's amazing people think of vets on a day like this," said Evans, listing the sobering statistics of veterans committing suicide.

If they hadn't been invited to Route 76 Diner on Thanksgiving, Evans said he would be spending the day at home alone watching football on TV while Goyette said, "I'd be opening a can of beans."

Paul Balge, who spent five years in the Navy, including a year on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam, heard about the meal Wednesday while he was at the VA Medical Center. He created posters to hang on the walls of his apartment to let other veterans know — which is how Ron Gerard, an Air Force veteran, learned about it.

Balge and Gerard sat at a table together and smiled as salads and fresh fruit plates were set down for them by a volunteer. Another volunteer filled their coffee cups and soon plates of turkey and trimmings arrived.

"I think this is fantastic. Veterans deserve it. We did a lot for this country," Balge said.

To prepare for the Thanksgiving meal, Hamdan farmed out turkeys to seven different ovens provided by family, friends and employees. Local businesses donated pies and coffee.

Volunteers greeted veterans at the door with a cheery "Happy Thanksgiving!" and ushered them to seats. Younger veterans sat next to veterans of a different generation, many wearing ball caps or jackets emblazoned with their military branch, and swapped stories.

Everyone was sent home with leftovers.

"I love it. I want to shake the owner's hand and thank him," said James Pugh, 69, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Army from 1969 to 1984. "They even gave me a plate of food to take with me."