Redlands Elks Lodge hosts Veterans Day Dinner honoring service and community

REDLANDS, Calif. – Up to 300 people, veterans and their families, enjoyed a warm meal, each other’s company, live music and the chance to win prizes at the Redlands Elks Lodge in the afternoon on Veterans Day.

“Veterans as they get older tend to kind of get isolated, so it’s good to get them together like this,” said Joanne Morse, member of the Redlands Veterans Committee, which hosted the dinner.

It was a full day of honoring those who have served in the armed forces. Redlands celebrated Veterans Day from 9 a.m. to late afternoon. It began with a parade hosted by the City of Redlands and the Redlands Hometown Heroes Foundation, followed by a community celebration at the Jennie Davis Park organized by American Legion Posts 106 and 650.

The 9^th annual Veterans Dinner event began at 2 p.m. It was supported by 39 sponsors, including Smart & Final, who provided the menu of grilled chicken breast in Tuscany cream sauce, several side dishes and cake for dessert. Tri-City Acoustics, Inc., Citrone Restaurant and Bar, Hatfield Buick GMC, EOS Fitness Redlands, Citrograph Printing Co., The Gourmet Pizza Shoppe and many others sponsored the event. In total, the Veterans Committee received $10,000 prior to the event.

Smart & Final had 23 volunteers assisting with the program. Dinner was served by Target employees and the Gray Arrow District Boy Scouts, who led the Pledge of Allegiance. Aubrey Elton performed the National Anthem.

A Redlands local Vietnam veteran, Tommy Taylor, got the idea to serve a dinner for Vietnam veterans nine years ago. Together with a couple of other 1965 class veterans, Joe Frink and Jimmy Eastwood, they arranged a dinner at the Mentone Beach Moose Lodge. The following year, they broadened the event for all veterans and moved to the Elks Lodge.

Every year the program is dedicated to the memory of Tommy Taylor, the original organizer, who passed away six years ago. Frink has also passed; Eastwood is the current chairman of the committee.

“You know, I have PTSD and this is part of my therapy,” said Eastwood, who also serves on the Veterans Day Parade committee. “It’s all part of giving back to the vets,” he added.

Each year the Redlands Veterans Committee dedicates the dinner to a committee member and Vietnam veteran. This year that went to committee member Bill McCalmon who recently passed away. McCalmon was also recognized at the Jennie Davis Park event.

Bill McCalmon was a Vietnam veteran. “He was a great guy,” Morse said. “He ran the Fourth of July celebration for 45 years. He was just very, very active and involved. He loved the community.”

McCalmon used to drive his 1955 T-Bird in the parade, said his wife, Diane McCalmon. At the park celebration this year, she received three proclamations in his honor and a flag that was flown over the Capitol Building. “It’s simply beautiful,” she said, adding, “It was emotional.”

Retired U.S. Army Sgt. Dan Flanigan was the Veterans Day Parade Grand Marshal. He also attended the dinner. “It was very, very special to me,” Flanigan said. “I just felt – was I really deserving of this? Because a lot of veterans have gone through more than I went through.”

“It made me think of how lucky I am,” he added. In previous years, Flanigan drove people in the parade with the Corvette Club, this year was the first time it was me being the Grand Marshal.

“I’m just glad I made it home,” he said. “By the grace of God, I’m here.”

“I got rank in a hurry because I was a forward observer,” Flanigan said. One day his troop got hit. The lieutenant said, ‘Somebody grab the radio.’ I jumped up, and a Black man named Marshall grabbed it and went to the lieutenant. They were machine-gunned down within 10 feet of me.”

“I have nightmares over it,” he said, these days less so.

Veteran Jornal Kevin Miller from San Bernardino showed up to the dinner in full uniform. He started the California Cadet Corps in San Bernardino and became the district program supervisor. “I see that they’ve moved over to Redlands and it’s grown immensely,” he said. The program began at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, expanded to nine middle schools and then high schools. “It was a dream come true to see the young kids emulating,” he said of watching the ROTC kids in the parade.

“Anything we get in the way of proceeds goes back to veterans,” Morse said. They not only put on the Veterans Dinner but also support the American Legion Posts 106 and 650, the VA Hospital and other local veterans’ causes. At the event they usually raise an additional $8-10,000 through a silent auction, Last Man Standing reverse raffle and this year a Grand Prize of a week-long trip to Kaua’i. Music by the Tomcats entertained the crowd.

A check for $2,500 was presented at the event from Smart & Final to the Redlands Elk Lodge Veterans Committee. The Elk Lodge supports, among others, the Loma Linda Veterans Village.

“We hope [this dinner] brings the community together,” Morse said. “We hope there are veterans that get to enjoy and spend time with one another and feel recognized that we do appreciate their service to our country and the sacrifices their family makes.”