Job Corps students present patriotic bench to VFW in Medina on Veterans Day

VFW honors vets with service, complimentary lunch

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Heather Smith, left, and Jaylen Thomas, both students in the Job Corps’ carpentry program who worked on the project, pose with the bench their class made and donated to the Medina VFW Tuesday. With them are Dave Berry, president of the VFW Auxiliary, and Nik Mroz, Orleans County Veterans’ Services Officer.

MEDINA – The Medina VFW Post was a beehive of activity on Tuesday, as it showed its support of veterans and welcomed Iroquois Job Corps students, with operations director JT Thomas of Medina.

It has become an annual tradition for the VFW to serve a free lunch to veterans and their families, and for Job Corps students to assist with set-up and serving, and hand out cards which they made for veterans.

Tom Snyder, front, a Navy veteran, and Nick Fitzak, a member of the Marine Corps Reserves, receive greeting cards from Arletys Arrigo and Sienna Jack, students at Iroquois Job Corps. The local Job Corps is open and is accepting new students.

Part of the Job Corps’ mission is to provide community service, and Iroquois thrives on helping surrounding communities whenever needed, said JT Thomas, operations director at Job Corps.

“Our veterans play a special part in our community service, as students and staff greatly appreciate the service our veterans provided, and we help with veterans’ events whenever possible,” Thomas said. “The local VFW Auxiliary reached out to Job Corps for assistance several years back, and we have been participating ever since. The focus is on our veterans, our students and the Job Corps program. We are open and enrolling students and continuing to support and assist the community.”

Members of the Orleans County Honor Guard fire a 21-gun salute, followed by playing of Taps, at the VFW in Medina on Tuesday, prior to going to Orchard Manor on Bates Road and the Veterans’ Park in Lyndonville to fire 21-gun salutes.

The Veterans Day observance began with the a 21-gun salute in the parking lot by the Orleans County Honor Guard, after which they drove to Orchard Manor Rehabilitation facility on Bates Road and repeated the firing. From there they traveled to Lyndonville, where they performed a 21-gun salute at the Veterans’ Park downtown by the water, before returning to the VFW for lunch.

The Honor Guard is led by Jim Freas and includes members from Medina, Lyndonville and Albion VFW and Legion posts.

Posing with the patriotic bench made for the VFW in Medina by students in the Iroquois Job Corps carpentry class are, from left, Tom Snyder, Eric Delano, Jim Freas, Louis Chraston, Pat Little and Mike Harmer.

This Veterans Day had one extra special feature. The students in the Job Corps carpentry class made a large patriotic bench, which they delivered and donated to the VFW on Tuesday.

Two of the students were Jaylen Thomas and Heather Smith, both of whom are in the carpentry class and worked on the bench.

“I sanded and painted it, including the stars and stripes,” Jaylen proudly pointed out.

On the front of the bench was a plaque which read, “The willingness of America’s veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude. Iroquois Job Corps, Nov. 11, 2025.”

Iroquois Job Corps students Arletys Arrigo, left, and Sienna Jack set the tables at Medina VFW, in preparation of serving free lunch to veterans.

Also at the VFW was Nik Mroz, Orleans County Veterans’ Services officer, who shared information on upcoming events to benefit veterans. These included a Veterans’ Health and Benefit Fair Monday at the VFW, and the annual veterans’ holiday dinner Dec. 16 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville, sponsored through the Dwyer Peer to Peer Program. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 589-3219.

Veterans Day observances continued on Tuesday with presentation of the “Missing Man” table by Pat Little of Gasport. As he read the meaning of the table set with an empty chair, plate with salt and a lemon, a candle and upside-down class, Jim Freas and Louis Chraston stood at attention on either side.

The VFW Post annually serves the Veterans’ Day lunch to an estimated 50 veterans, according to Dave Berry, president of the VFW Auxiliary.

Jim Freas, left, and Louis Chraston stand at attention while Pat Little reads the meaning behind the “Missing Man table,” during a tribute to veterans Tuesday at the VFW in Medina.

Ron Thomas, right, a Vietnam veteran, gets a greeting card from Job Corps students Alphonzo Snow and Zyshonne Humphrey as he and his wife Betty Jean arrived at the Medina VFW Tuesday for lunch.