CENTRE HALL — On most Wednesdays at Smith-Pletcher American Legion Post 779, the line starts forming well before 5 p.m. Folks know what’s coming: Jerry’s Cheesesteak Night. Packed full of beef or chicken, your choice of cheese, piled high on a massive roll, peppers and caramelized onions optional.
“There’s a lot of meat in them,” Post Commander Gary Way said with a grin. Club Manager Dave Porter added, “It’s not a Philly with Cheese Whiz. it’s just delicious.” The midweek staple has become a calling card for the post.
Food is the front door, but community is what people find once they’re inside. The club’s regular calendar includes Thursday wing nights and Friday public dinners from 5 to 8 p.m., a steady, open-to-all invitation in Penns Valley.
“I need to create an environment in which people want to join the club, but also want to bring their families,” Porter said. “That means activities, DJ nights, sip-and-paint events, meal specials and consistent outreach.”
That outreach turns into help where it’s needed. Way said the post’s priority is donating to organizations that serve neighbors across the valley from emergency services and youth sports to the public library and wildlife rehab.
“We donate all the money we make,” he said, noting a recent contribution to EMS and ongoing support for local programs. Auxiliary President Andrea Lawson said the group also sends “Boxes for the Troops” several times a year with socks, sunscreen, snacks and other basics. “People that aren’t even a part of our club are willing to help,” Lawson said.
This season, the Auxiliary’s Angel Tree is back for a third year, providing a brighter Christmas for families connected to the Penns Valley Area School District. Applications are open through Nov. 1 via the post’s website. The program has wish tags that go up on a tree in the lobby, and donors shop for specific requests from a pair of shoes to a basketball.
“Last year we did 16 kids, 10 families,” Lawson said. “We’re hoping to reach even more.” The post announced the sign-up window on Facebook, directing families to the online application.
The Legion Riders add another gear to the service engine. Formed locally about a year and a half ago, the Riders participate in charity events and regional rides. Years ago, Riders from multiple posts helped escort the Vietnam Moving Wall to Penn State, serving as a reminder that even a small-town chapter is part of a national network of service.
Recruiting the next generation is top of mind. “It’s hard for us to get younger members,” Way said. Porter calls his plan “guerrilla recruiting”, which is more face time, more family-friendly events and a clearer message that the Legion is more than a bar.
“If you need help, or just somebody who understands, this is a place you can come,” he said. “It gives us a chance to serve again and to bring that sense of fraternity back.”
Smith-Pletcher Post 779 is at 2928 Penns Valley Pike in Centre Hall. Friday dinners are open to the public; Jerry’s Cheesesteaks run most Wednesdays; wing night is Thursdays. Current menus, calendars and the Angel Tree application are available online and on the post’s Facebook page.
