This Saturday, a long orange truck pulled up in front of Brandon’s American Legion Post 55 and dropped off three electric stoves donated by The Home Depot. Thanks to the new equipment, the Post’s kitchen should be up and running by mid-November, Post member June Kelly said in a press release. It had been shut down since spring because the old gas stove and double oven failed to meet insurance and fire safety codes. 

“We used to be able to cook eight turkeys at a time in the old stove,” Post Commander Aaron Tucker said. Those turkeys went into about 190 hot meals that Post members cooked and delivered each Thanksgiving to anyone in need in Brandon, Pittsford, and the surrounding area. 

“If someone needed a meal in Burlington, we’d get it up there,” Tucker joked. The tradition will start again next year, he said.

The Post also hosts a monthly potluck supper for veterans, family, and friends. Tucker said Post members often bring in fish they catch and prepare it in the kitchen for the potlucks. The hall and kitchen are also available for anyone to rent for weddings and other events.   

Tucker said the new ovens probably won’t be able to cook quite so many turkeys at once, but he’s grateful for the “fantastic job” Kelly and other volunteers did to make the upgrade happen. 

Kelly said she worked with the Home Depot team in Rutland to secure a grant for equipment worth about $5,000 from the Home Depot Foundation. The company has provided $650 million to veteran causes since 2011 and pledged another $100 million by 2030, according to its website. 

Brandon Lumber & Millwork pitched in ceiling paint and hood ductwork for the stoves, and over a dozen Post 55 members volunteered to get the kitchen ready, Kelly said. 

“We are excited to be back up and running with food service capability for the Post, veterans, and the community,” she said.