Every year, Fallon’s American Legion Post 16 dons its Santa-approved uniform and greets the county’s residents with Christmas meals.
Alan and Kieran Kalt, who volunteered to package and deliver meals on Christmas day, wait for their delivery assignment from Paul Valentin.
Every year, Fallon’s American Legion Post 16 dons its Santa-approved uniform and greets the county’s residents with Christmas meals.
As part of the post’s outreach at Thanksgiving and Christmas, community volunteers step in for the William N. Pennington’s Meals on Wheels cooks and drivers and delivered meals Christmas day. Another 64 sit-down meals were served later in the day to anyone needing a hot meal.
“There are 149 meals we’re going to deliver to the community,” said Paul “Pip” Valentin, a Marine Corps veterans and organizer of the dinners, as volunteers lined up to begin filling Styrofoam dinner plates with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing and a dessert.
Valentin said the post stepped in almost 40 years ago to help the senior citizen center, now the Pennington Life Center, to give the Meals on Wheels drivers and cooks a break during the holidays.
Valentin introduced the cooks and kitchen staff. Of note, Valentin thanked longtime friend and chef Alex Riddle for preparing the food and cooking the meal before volunteers arrived at the local post’s home on North Ada Street.
“Alex has the hard job. That man’s been cooking for three days straight,” Valentin said over the applause.
With Riddle and a small group of veterans helping him, Valentin said it’s important to deliver a nutritious, healthy Christmas dinner.
“All of our food tastes great,” he said.
Valentin instructs volunteers to rotate in a wagon-wheel fashion to load their containers. Once the volunteers complete one rotation of the wheel, they pick up another empty Styrofoam container and repeat the process.
“So, make sure you keep both hands under it,” Valentin barks, noting the container’s bottom weakens with all the food.
During each holiday, many returning veterans and community members volunteer their time, but occasionally first-time volunteers assist including longtime Fallon residents Alan and Kieran Kalt.
Michelle Diedrichsen, right, and retired teacher and volunteer Eileen Montgomery share a lighter moment.
“It’s awesome to give back and serve a community that’s less fortunate,” he said.
Kalt, the county’s retired comptroller, said it’s important to serve the community, but for him it will be seeing the big smiles and warm feelings.
“What the American Legion is doing is just phenomenal,” he said.
Kieran Kalt, a retired elementary school teacher, served in the U.S. Army and Nevada Army National Guard. The state’s Veterans of Foreign Wars named Kalt as its state Teacher of the Year in 2016. She likes what the post is doing with its meals program.
“I’m just blessed and honored that so many people stepped it up and are helping,” she said. “We just feel heart warmed and appreciated when we’re here helping. This is our Christmas gift to them.”
Lucy Carnahan, director of the Fallon Chamber of Commerce, picks up containers to deliver.
Naval Air Station Fallon weather analyst Lori Berente volunteered last year. The sailor said she’s been in Fallon for two-and-a-half years and has seen the program grow with more volunteers.
“It’s a great volunteer program,” she said.
Helping Berente was her sister, Kaycee, who was visiting from Columbus, Ohio. Kaycee said she’s enjoyed spending time with her sister in Fallon and, on this morning, volunteering.
“It’s beautiful here, a lot of fresh air,” she said.
Kaycee said the small-town volunteerism is something many smaller communities undertake during the holidays.
“Sometimes, bigger communities don’t do it as well,” she said. “Sometimes, that should be done especially well on a day like this.”
Cooks and helpers ensure the Christmas meal is ready on time. From left are Nathan Bracken, Alex Riddle, Sean Dougherty and Dan Peterson (black shirt).
Dining and Cooking