Veterans in Buffalo by William Yahn - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

Veterans in Buffalo

By William Yahn, Community Writer
June 28, 2013 at 03:30pm. Views: 90

William Yahn went to Buffalo, New York to participate in the 27th annual National Veterans Golden Age Games (NV/GAG) which ran from May 29 to June 5. This year, there was some confusion. A couple of months ago, the games were canceled for about 3 weeks due to lack of funds, caused by federal budget sequestration. The city of Buffalo and the state of New York intervened with the head of the Veterans Administration (V.A.) and President Obama and explained how that would hurt the city and the state economically. Some of the competitors had pulled out before the games were reinstated, having canceled flight plans and hotel rooms. However, there were still over 700 veterans from 46 states, the Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa participating in the games this year. The NV/GAG is a competition for veterans 55 years and older who receive health care at a V.A. hospital. The competition includes sports, games and activities such as bowling, swimming, shot put, discus, javelin, bicycling and air rifle to name a few. The competition is based on age, so that people are competing against people in the same age bracket. These are 55–59, 60–64, 65–69, 70–74, 75–79 and over 80. The oldest competitor at this year’s games was 94 years old. They are usually held at the end of May until the beginning of June. William Yahn went as a patient of the Jerry L. Pettis VA hospital in Loma Linda. He participated in bowling, air rifle, and quarter-mile bicycling. In bowling, his scores were 122 and 190 which were not good enough to win a medal. In air rifle, he shot a score of 39 out of 50 which won him a bronze medal. In the quarter-mile bicycling, he did not win a medal. While he was there, during the time he was not competing, he was able to go to Niagara Falls. He enjoyed the day at the falls as he rode on the Maid of the Mist, went to the Cave of the Winds as well as the aquarium, the Discovery Center, saw the movie that told the story of the falls and rode the tram that went to all of the different areas of the falls. While walking around Buffalo, New York, he happened to find a restaurant that was run by a high school. All of the cooks, cashiers and staff were high school students. They were supervised by teachers and health department employees. They served breakfast and lunch. The prices were very reasonable and the food was delicious. Also, the people of Buffalo were very nice to the veterans that were present at the games. As an example, Yahn was at a restaurant with about 11 other veterans and coaches having dinner. One of the restaurant’s regular diners called the manager over and asked if the Yahn’s group was of veterans participating in the games. After being told that they were, he picked up the entire check for 12 people he had never seen before, due to the veterans’ participation in the NV/GAG. Next year, the games will be held in Fayetteville, Arkansas. If Yahn is able to acquire the funds through donations and sponsorships, he plans to attend once again.

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 814

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1478

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 2818

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 887

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1819

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 806

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 869

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 2138

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 930

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 731

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 1013

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 908

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->