Richard I. Bong Museum hosts Veteran’s Thanksgiving meal

SUPERIOR, Wis.– The holiday of Thanksgiving is all about traditions, and the Richard I Bong Museum here in Superior and is no exception.

They’ve invited veterans and active-duty service members to eat with each other and get to know each other.

The dinner has been an annual tradition for the museum for eight years.

And to pull it off for this long, it’s a community effort.

“This event is a culmination of many different community groups, Patterson Park Lions and Manitou Inn provide the food and the cooking. We’ve got people donating the beverages. It’s all volunteer-run,” explained Jodi Fiske, Volunteer Coordinator & Tourism Specialist, Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center.

One of the veterans attending served in the Vietnam War, and he’s currently involved with the museum’s honor guard.

This year, he decided to check it out and see what it was all about.

“It’s really a nice thing, and I think it’s necessary, especially for veterans that don’t have families in the area and are living in shelters and stuff,” said Dennis Aho, a Vietnam veteran.

Officials told FOX 21, they’re thankful for the sense of community this meal brings.

“A lot of times in the veteran community, they interact better with each other, so this gives them an opportunity and a place to commune with people who have walked the path that they’ve walked, which is very important for veterans,” said Fiske.

“They do a wonderful job. The volunteers here work very hard to make sure the veterans are taken care of,” added Aho.

Over the years, the event has grown quite popular.

This year, they’re prepared to serve 300 people, whether they choose to eat there or take a meal home for their family.

Each veteran also took home a handwritten note from a student.