Site of several monthly dinners and special breakfast events throughout the course of the year, the Escalon American Legion Post rooms on Second Street once again welcomed diners in on Friday night, Dec. 16.
For December, the members of the Gustafson-Thompson Post 263 invited in several members of the community that have been supportive of the post throughout the year, as well as family members of those post members who passed during the year.
Welcoming the crowd on Friday night was Legion member Al Bellinger, who took the microphone and explained that the Legion is appreciative of all the support from the community. He was flanked by post Chaplain Casey Den Ouden and post member Vinnie Giovaniello, who helps organize several of the parades in town during the year.
Bellinger also offered thanks to the many Legion members who have been instrumental in various projects throughout the past year, including the monthly dinners, the colorguard, the members that turn out for honor guard duties and those that represent the Legion at community events.
Some past active members of the post that have moved out of the community were in attendance and Den Ouden also welcomed family members of the late Angelo Blanco, a longtime member who passed away earlier this month. Den Ouden noted how important Blanco was to the post, involved in a variety of capacities over the years, and those attending observed a moment of silence in his memory.
The holiday dinner itself was served up by Blodgett Catering and was set up buffet style, a full Christmas feast with turkey and ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, salad, cranberry sauce, rolls and butter, beverages and apple or cherry cobbler for dessert, served a la mode.
There were also plenty of items up for grabs in opportunity drawings, with proceeds benefiting the post and its programs and services.
The evening gave people the chance to slow down, socialize and enjoy some camaraderie, ahead of the final few days cramming in shopping, wrapping and traveling for the Christmas holiday.
Post member George ‘Pineapple’ Tavares also reminded those attending that the first monthly dinner of 2023 will be hosted on the third Saturday in January. It will be a ‘Soups and Stews’ themed dinner.
