WASHINGTON, Pa. — Before reaching the nation’s capital, Darke County veterans and their spouses found a familiar welcome at a Pennsylvania diner, where an Air Force veteran greeted each veteran at the door.
The Dog House Diner served as the first stop Thursday on Darke County Veterans Services’ annual four-day bus trip to Washington, D.C. For the 57 veterans and spouses aboard the bus, the lunch stop offered food, fellowship, and a birthday surprise before continuing their journey.
Owners Sam and Sarah Bonus, who have operated the diner for five years, make special arrangements to accommodate the Darke County visitors. Sarah said the restaurant has been serving customers for 61 years.
For Sam, welcoming the group is a personal commitment rooted in his own military service.
“I enjoy hosting the group because I’m a veteran as well, and I like to help any way I can,” he said.
That hospitality begins before the bus arrives. Sam alerts his regular customers to the group’s visit, allowing the restaurant’s staff to prepare for the influx of diners.
“I let my regulars know ahead of time that you guys are coming, and they’re fine with that,” he said. “So they kind of stay away until after you guys are gone, and then they hit us just like you did.”
The cooperation between the owners, employees, and regular customers helps make the stop a comfortable part of the trip. Although the diner does not routinely host busloads of visitors, its staff has developed a rapport with the Darke County group.
“We try to be as ready as we can,” Sam said.
Tom Pitman, Darke County Veterans Services Director/CVSO) said the diner became part of the itinerary after the group’s previous lunch destination closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think Cindy found them,” Pitman said, referring to Cindy Bruner, administrative assistant for Darke County Veterans Services. “Did a Google search.”
The search led to a restaurant willing to work with the travelers and accommodate their schedule.
“They have been good to us,” Pitman said. “I think this is the third year we’ve been here, and they always work well with us, and everything always goes smoothly, smoother and smoother every year.”
Pitman credited both owners for making the stop successful.
“Sam and Sarah sure do a great job, an amazing job,” he said. “We enjoy stopping here.”
Sarah said the Darke County visitors are the diner’s only large bus group. However, the owners’ support for military personnel extends beyond the annual visit.
Beginning next month, the diner plans to provide meals for about 25 Army reservists one weekend a month. Sam said the local reserve unit no longer has a kitchen, creating a need the restaurant can help meet.
“When they’re in town once a month, we’re going to feed them on Saturdays and Sundays as well,” he said.
The owners and employees also provide free meals to local first responders, continuing the diner’s service to those who serve the community.
Thursday’s visit included an additional celebration: the birthday of Var Gehron, a Darke County veterans service officer.
Gehron was surprised with a large birthday cake, with enough to share among all 57 veterans and spouses before the group resumed its trip to Washington.
For Sarah, the annual visit brings an appreciation for both the travelers and those who organize their journey.
“The veterans from Darke County are very nice and polite people,” she said. “Tom, Var, and Cindy from the Darke County Veterans Services do an awesome job.”
