The weather was cold and gray Saturday morning.
Snow blanked the grass and clung to the trees at City Park in Reading. Wispy clouds blotted out any chance of the sun’s warmth reaching the ground and a frigid breeze whistled and whipped across the landscape.
It was miserable winter weather, the kind of morning where any excuse to stay huddled up inside would be quickly understood and accepted.
But the group gathered in a small parking lot at the park aren’t the type to make excuses. That’s not their style.
So they showed up, just like they do once a month throughout the year. They set up shop, eager and willing to help those in need.
That is, afterall, the whole idea behind Stand Down, which is hosted by an army of volunteers from the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania every second Saturday of the month.
“This is something that our veterans have come to depend on,” said Topher Bower, executive director of operation for the coalition. “There’s a lot of people who are hurting so anything we can do to help our brothers and sisters is worth the effort we put into it.”
The event provides veterans with food, clothes, blankets and a meal hosted by a different organization each month.
Stephanie Stofka of Reading serves up a hot casserole during the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania Mini-Stand Down in City Park on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE).
Bower said he and his wife, Holly, founded the nonprofit organization a decade ago as a way to help those who had given so much by putting their lives on the line for their country. It was something they could relate to as veterans themselves.
“We saw a need and we wanted to do something,” he said.
Bower said the gatherings started with a small group of volunteers who took turns making meals and has grown over time to include many different organizations that are willing to lend a hand.
They have even expanded their reach by holding monthly events in Pottstown.
“These events are very important for our veterans,” he said. “We give out about 1,000 pounds every month by partnering with a lot of other pantries in our network. All of our veterans are very appreciative of what we do here.”
Dave Eberly of Reading with his dog Short Stuff attends the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania Mini-Stand Down in City Park on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE).
That’s certainly true for Dave Eberly.
“This is something I look forward to each month,” he said.
The Reading resident said the warm lunch is always appreciated, the bag of groceries are extremely helpful and the clothing is much needed.
But getting free stuff isn’t why Eberly comes to the monthly Stand Down.
Eberly said he sees his fellow veterans as family, sees those who served as he did as brothers and sisters. And, the Marine Corps combat veteran said, he’s grateful that people are making sure that family is taken care of.
“This is really a wonderful thing,” the 64-year-old said. “But the camaraderie is really what keeps me coming back. We talk about what we’re going through and what we’ve been through.”
Linda Guzman, who travels from Pine Grove each month to attend the event, said the friendships she has made are important but getting the resources she needs to make ends meet has been a blessing.
“Everything costs a lot of money these days and now I don’t have to worry so much about how I’m going to get what I need,” she said.
The 68-year-old disabled Army veteran said living on a fixed income can be challenging and she’s thankful that there are people willing to lend a helping hand.
Linda Guzman of Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, enjoys a hot lunch during the Veterans Coalition of Pennsylvania Mini-Stand Down in City Park on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE).
Sean Perry, director of the Stand Down events, said he’s happy that he can be one of those people that Guzman can depend on.
Perry joined the organization several years ago because he was drawn to its mission. He said that as a veteran of Operation Desert Storm he feels a special connection to those that the event serves.
“In some ways, I feel closer to my fellow veterans than my actual brothers and sisters because we share something deeper than blood,” he said. “And, if you look around, a lot of these people are older. They worked their whole life and they deserve a helping hand.”