This week at Lake In Wood was a first, not only here but I’m banking that no campground in America has ever done something like this before. Klaas and Judy, owners of Lake In Wood Campground Resort, hosted some seventy veterans from the Coatsville VA Hospital. It was a well planned day that had all the workkampers as well as throngs of seasonal campers volunteering their time to insure a success. The veterans were able to play mini-golf, swim in the pool, fish in the lake, and take rides on the trolley train that ran continuously. Golfcarts ran amuck traversing any vet wherever their hearts desired or their eyes yearned to see. At the Gnome Cafe Joe and his entourage served free hamburgers, fries, and drinks. Mike, the Porkmeister and his possey turned out over two hundred chicken legs, potato salad, et. al. on the barbie over at the gazebo on Brotherhood Circle. The amphitheatre area found the vet’s lined up to sample s’mores that were loaded with Hershey’s finest. Personnally I had a bevy of servers that made my day easy. We were all located under the new Fireplace where we served sweet sausage, Gnome dogs, beans, sauerkraut, peppers, chili and drinks. Ann, Tricia, Sue, Jackie, and Alice doled out fifty sausages, a hundred dogs, as well as gallons of accoutrements. I didn’t have much to do as my group performed far beyond my expectations. In fact, all I had to do was to watch the grill and make sure the meat didn’t burn, glad-hand the arriving vets, and do a lot of smiling and joking.
I was more than impressed with the presentation. This, of course, was all gratis and free of charge to these vets who have served us so well from Vietnam to Afghanistan. Their arrival was greeted by a Scottish Highland clad bagpiper. Their departure some five hours later was sent with well wishes, hugs, and lightened hearts by every volunteer, workamper, and personnel involved in this momentous event. Governmental regulations prevents me from showing photos of the vets as they are residents of a hospital but no such rules pertained to my crew of wonderful ladies.
Today’s Fun Fact: In 1827 a new word and concept entered the American language–restaurant. It was in that year that two Swiss-born brothers Giovannia and Pietro DelMonico operated a coffee and pastry shop in the Battery district of NYC.Their enterprise was somewhat successful when in 1831 they invited nephew, Lorenzo, to join them. Though just 19 and with no catering experience, Lorenzo was born to culinary greatness. He did none of the cooking, but he did buy the food and made a point of arriving before dawn at the city’s main market to acquire the best and freshest provisions, a practice now routine but at the time unheard of. He transformed DelMonico’s pastry shop into Americans premier restaurant, bringing a dimension of elegance to America dining that it had thereto fore lacked. And now, more people eat in restaurants than do at home.
What a wonderful, and selfless thing that all of you did for the brave veterans that have protected us time and time again over the years. I’m sure it meant as much to them, as it did to all of you. Sometimes it is just a day, or a picnic, in fresh air and sunshine, with friendly faces with no agenda……that mean the most to a person, or help to heal. LIW staff we are proud of you!