Leechburg-based charity to host holiday dinner for veterans, service members

A Leechburg nonprofit is hosting a dinner Sunday to show support for veterans and military personnel.

Limited tickets are still available for the sixth annual Five Forces Christmas for Vets dinner. It’s being held at the Oklahoma Volunteer Fire Department’s School House Hall along Thorn Street in Oklahoma Borough.

Guests must show military ID or proper paperwork for service verification.

Garda’s Restaurant will be catering the event. The family-friendly Italian restaurant in Ford City has been a part of the celebration since its inception.

Five Forces president Jodie Kamer said it will be a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, dessert and more.

“I don’t think enough of the younger generation has appreciated veterans enough,” said Kramer, a 2001 Kiski Area High School graduate. “When the dinner is said and done, and we’ve heard all the wonderful stories and we’ve thanked veterans in the room, and we’ve been able to provide a meal and gift and information they may not already know, it brings us joy.”

Members of PAServes Greater Pittsburgh will be on hand to talk with veterans and service men and women about how to get help with housing, employment, recreation and fitness, among other topics.

Some guests will also leave with gift cards and prizes, as names will be pulled from a stocking during the evening.

Other activities include a Chinese auction. A DJ will provide music.

Five Forces was founded in 2014 in memory of Army Spc. Joshua Henry of Avonmore.

He served in the 1st Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, 1st Division. He died Sept. 20, 2004 while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was 21. He was a 2001 Apollo-Ridge High School graduate.

Five Forces treasurer Mindy Altman of Leechburg joined the charity a few years ago.

Her husband, Nate, served as an Airman First Class in the Air Force and became disabled in 2006. They recently celebrated 13 years of marriage.

Altman said the dinner is one of the many ways Five Forces tries to give back and “be able to say thank you.”

“Getting involved with this was something near and dear to us,” Altman said.

Kramer said the dinner has always been at the school house, and Oklahoma firefighters have been great partners with Five Forces.

A portion of the $25 price is expected to go toward the Gary Sinise Foundation Snowball Express, which serves the children of fallen military heroes.

The initiative helps provide grieving families a trip to Walt Disney World Resort among other assistance.