Ocean City’s American Legion post 524 resumes serving weekly lunch
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
OCEAN CITY — Local residents can fill their belly on the cheap and support a good cause with lunch at the American Legion.
Ocean City’s Moray-Miley Post 524 resumed serving the midday meal after suspending the service for seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The post has been serving lunch for about five years, first at its previous site on 33rd Street and now from its home at 4562 West Ave.
City resident Ralph Penzarella, head of the House Committee, took over organizing the lunch service a little more than a year ago, only to be forced to close shortly after he began.
He said he was anxious on a recent Wednesday morning, wondering whether anyone would show up to help since the usual kitchen crew is staying away due to the coronavirus.
“I’m proud of the guys who showed up to help me today because I was really scared,” he said.
Penzarella said the post had built up a good clientele in the five years that it had been serving lunch — getting a lot of support from city workers, bank employees and teachers, as well as veterans and local seniors — but that he didn’t know what to expect after the long break.
Post Commander Bob Marzulli said they normally would serve 60 to 70 people each Wednesday and as many as 100.
“This basically is our first trial run to see if people are going to support us,” Penzarella said Oct. 14. “We don’t know if people will be coming in to sit down, but we have had a good response for our take-outs and deliveries.”
He need not have feared, as members showed up to help take orders, make sandwiches and serve them, as well as set up and clean up before and after, and others showed up to eat.
He said he “bugged a lot of people” to stop by for lunch Oct. 14 because he “was so scared that we wouldn’t get a big calling today.”
Reached the following Friday, Penzarella said the first day “went really well.”
“We had a great order of take-outs from the city and it seems like the normal customers called in and got take-out,” he said. “Quite a few people picked up and we had some people coming in to have lunch there and they seemed to be happy. We felt we did really well monetary-wise.”
Penzarella said revenue from the lunches helps the post maintain its building and supports its many programs, such as educational scholarships and providing veterans with a weeklong stay in the resort every summer. He said the post also gets contributions from the city.
“People help us out that way and we help others,” he said.
The post also provides a free dinner every Wednesday to needy people in the city, serving as many as 500 meals with the help of Cousin’s restaurant owner Bill McGinnity. Penzarella said it costs the post $15 per dinner.
The post also works with Dave Newman of Blitz’s Market, who provides the lunch meats and caters the Friday night socials.
Penzarella said most of the folks who dine in do so to visit with friends.
“Most people are looking to get out — it’s like a social thing for them, especially the older ones who really can’t leave the island. They have a place to come, they meet their friends here and will sit here as long as we’re here,” Penzarella said.
In the kitchen, post member Tom Cavallaro was making sandwiches. He moved to the city permanently three years ago and soon afterward joined the post. He said he volunteers for “the camaraderie — there’s a bunch of great guys here — and you’re helping the general public. Whether it’s veterans that come in or just locals.”
Fredrick Little, a 38-year member of Post 524 who works as cashier during the lunches, said he was pleased to be back.
“It’s rewarding to me to see the people come in and be served a meal, and to support our organization,” Little said.
The first two members who returned for lunch were Jim Solarski, 71, and Reynolds Keen, 80 but not looking a day past 50.
Solarski, who has been a member for about five years, is the son of a World War II veteran who spent 43 years in law enforcement — three years in Trenton, 24 years with U.S. Secret Service and 16 years with the Department of Homeland Security.
He said he enjoys “supporting the American Legion and the causes and charities that they provide for and help with, and I feel that we should be part of that — whether it’s lunches or socials, whether it’s whatever they’ve got going on — we should support that if we are going to be true members.”
Keen, who grew up in Lindenwold and also has been a member for about five years, served in the U.S. Army from 1960-66.
He said he likes to “support the American Legion, they do a lot of good things for the community.”
The menu includes multiple items weekly.
A house salad for $6 includes lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumbers. An antipasto salad, for $8, includes lettuce, tomatoes, provolone cheese, salami, capicola and pepperoni. Dressing choices are blue cheese, ranch, Italian, creamy Caesar, thousand island and honey mustard.
Hoagies and sandwiches are $7. Hoagie choices are Italian, roast beef, turkey, ham and cheese, while sandwich selections are roast beef, turkey, ham, grilled cheese and grilled ham and cheese. All sandwiches include lettuce, tomatoes and onions on white, wheat or rye bread with a choice of American, provolone or Swiss cheese, while all sandwiches and salads come with a pickle, potato chips and dessert.
There also are weekly Specials of the Week, such as that week’s hot roast beef sandwich for $7 and Soup of the Day for $4. On Oct. 28, it’s a meatball parmesan sub. All beverages are $1. Choices are water, Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite.
The post offers dine-in, take-out and delivery service. For take-outs, customers must call (609) 398-1751 before 11 a.m.
Other post events include shuffleboard Monday nights, pinochle Tuesday nights and socials Friday nights for members and guests, free dinners Wednesday nights.
Penzarella said the post is following federal guidelines during the pandemic, such as requiring masks when people are not seated, keeping tables a safe distance apart and using disposable plates, bowls and utensils.
