Wingate Faith Church hosts day of honor and support for veterans
BELLEFONTE — The sound of music carried across the lawn at Wingate Faith Methodist Church on Saturday, Sept. 20, as neighbors gathered for the Community and Veterans Support Services Day. The event was a celebration designed to honor veterans while opening doors to resources for the wider community.
Families lined up for free food and children’s activities, while veterans and community members drifted between rows of informational booths set up by more than a dozen organizations. From senior care providers to housing assistance groups, each table offered brochures, conversations and connections.
Pastor Samantha McElwee said the idea began with a simple desire to show gratitude.
“I think the primary reason, at first at least, was just because of our love and appreciation for veterans and wanting to figure out how we can better support them,” she said. “But beyond that, it’s always a good thing to bring the community together, to eat food together, to find different resources and agencies that can support them as well.”
Live entertainment anchored the day’s schedule. Chiz Rider opened on the outdoor stage at 11 a.m., while Karin and Jeremy Garner joined by Jim McClincy took the stage in the afternoon. The performances gave the event a festival-like atmosphere, punctuated by conversations in the shade and children laughing in the bounce house nearby.
The list of participating groups underscored the broad reach of the effort. Agencies included the Altoona VA Voluntary Services, Centre County Veterans Affairs, the Centre County Office of Aging, Centre Helps, Housing Transitions, Gentiva Hospice, Home Instead Senior Care, the Veterans Multi-Service Center, Celebration Villa, the Milesburg American Legion Honor Guard and several others. Each brought a slightly different piece of the puzzle for veterans and families looking for help.
“This took a lot of hard work from a lot of people, but they’re very devoted and passionate,” McElwee said. “It also took God in the middle of it, because we tried to make sure that we were praying every step of the way, and here we are. He blessed us with a great day.”
McElwee said she was encouraged by the steady flow of visitors. She also expected the crowd to swell later in the day for the Quilts of Valor ceremony.
That ceremony, held in the church sanctuary, honored 22 Centre County veterans. Each received a handcrafted quilt, sewn by volunteers in the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the national Quilts of Valor Foundation.
The honorees included Thomas Benner, Gary Bumgardner, Michael Carper, Dale Cox Jr., John Craig, Greg Dyke, Fred Frank, Robert Hall, Glen Hurd, George MacNamara, Jim McClincy, Linn McClincy, David McElwee, Ted Newman, Robert Perry, Roger Proctor, Doran Quigg, Thaddeus Richards, Larry Spotts, Michael Spotts, Thomas Wilson and Thurman Witherite.
Janette Moore, the church’s outreach team leader, explained that the quilts represent year-round work by more than 80 local sewers.
“They never know how many they’re going to need, so they just keep making them,” Moore said. “One person may do a whole quilt, one person may just do the tops, some people might sew the bottoms, some sew them together. They personalize each one with the veteran’s name and the date it’s presented.”
The quilts were presented primarily to Vietnam veterans, though the honorees also included a Korean War veteran and more recent service members.
Moore said many veterans are reluctant to accept recognition, often insisting the honor should go to someone else. “Their idea is that when someone joins the armed forces, they know at any point in time they could be called away,” she said. “That sacrifice is enormous. This is one way of honoring that commitment.”
McElwee echoed that sentiment, noting that humility often defines the veterans she has met. “You kind of have to twist their arm a little bit to convince them, yes, you are worthy of this,” she said.
As quilts were draped across shoulders and families applauded, the event’s larger purpose became clear — a community coming together not just to say thank you, but to stand beside those who served.
“Wingate Faith is very grateful for the community that we’re in and that we serve,” McElwee said. “If there’s anything we can do to support, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.”
