Gary Walderman is the Life Changer Award recipient of 2020

Commander Larry Fischer presenting the 2020 Life Changer Award to Gary Walderman

By Doug Cerretti

Gary Walderman is the Life Changer Award recipient of 2020.

Commander Larry Fischer of the Shoreline American Legion Post 227 presented the award to Gary at Heroes' Café Shoreline March 9, 2021. The award presentation was delayed due to the pandemic.

Gary Walderman was recognized for his dedicated service to veterans with outreach to Sebastian House and nine retirement homes in the Lynnwood-Edmonds area. Gary began working on the concept of the Hero’s Café in connection with a team under the Mayor of Lynnwood’s strategic plan to make Lynnwood a Veteran Friendly community.

In 2016 Heroes' Café, founded by Gary and his team, began with donations as a free stop-in lunch gathering for Veterans. The mission of Hero’s Café is to bring together area Veterans through monthly meetings creating new friendships and to raise funds and services to meet the many needs of Veterans.

To date, Gary and his dedicated team have devoted 1,800 service hours and have served food to over 1,330 veterans in this once a month gathering. Gary received a $200 check from Post 227.

The American Legion Post 227 created the Life Changer Award in 2012 to recognize people who have made life better for others in their community.