Last year, members of American Legion Post 379 in Bethlehem made a stop at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill to see their post commander, who was being treated there.
During the visit, they crossed paths with a woman whose father, also a veteran, was being treated there. She asked if the group, who were in honor guard attire after attending a military funeral, would visit him. They agreed.
“It kind of made his day,” Legion member Craig Sostarecz of Bethlehem said.
That chance encounter led to the first of several hundred veteran visits the group would make at the hospital in less than a year.
“It’s an opportunity for us to say thanks to our fellow vets,” Legion member John Bracali of Allentow said.
On Monday, the day before Veteran’s Day, the group led a flag-raising ceremony outside the hospital, marking nearly a year of volunteering and connections members made with many local veterans.
After their first visit and the positive reception there, they thought it would be a good idea to continue to visit veterans at St. Luke’s.
“It just felt like the right thing to do,” Sostarecz said.
Following a few months of setup with the hospital, the group now visits veterans every other week, connecting with them and bringing a sense of normalcy in what could otherwise be a difficult time.
In the year since they started, the seven volunteers have met with over 500 veterans, all from different branches of the military.
During each visit, the group splits up and stops by a veteran’s room to chat. They talk about their time in the service and where they served. The group has spoken with men and women who served in various conflicts, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War and World War II.
They even spoke to someone who served in the Italian military who spoke little English.
One veteran, who served in World War II, was 102. He was happy to speak with his fellow veterans.
“He was sharp as a tack,” Legion member Joe Herkalo of Bethlehem said.
Post 379 goes to several veteran funerals a year as honor guard members. Now members have another experience to honor their fellow veterans.
“We say it’s a cheap USO show,” Sostarecz quipped.
Jokes aside, the connections the group makes with the veterans are real, and have made an impact on everyone involved, they said.
Some of the veterans receiving treatment don’t get a lot of visitors, or are going through difficult procedures. The visits help take their mind off that, or bring them comfort during that time, even if it’s just for a few minutes. They also give the veterans a challenge coin to commemorate the visit.
“Everybody’s got a story,” Bracali said.
Sostarecz said the veterans are thankful to get visitors and share stories.
“It’s hard to walk away without tears in your eyes,” he said of some of the visits.
Bracali and Sostarecz said besides helping the specific veteran, they have seen how families react when their loved ones get a visit from them. They get to see a different side of their family member as they discuss their time in the service with the group.
Bracali said the all-volunteer group doesn’t get paid for their visits, and they wouldn’t change that.
“What you get, you can’t put a dollar value to,” he said.
To know more: Post 379 has about 18 active participants from different branches of the military. They have seven shooters and a bugler for a 21-gun salute and are looking for other veteran volunteers to help them honor veterans through various commemorations. Those who wish to get involved may contact Sostarecz at 610-248-8208.
