SOMERVILLE, NJ - Corned beef and cabbage, Italian subs and more meals donated to veterans in Transitional Housing Program prove good can come from any situation

After the COVID-19 outbreak caused the Somerset County Democrats to cancel both their nominating convention and St. Patrick’s Day fundraiser this week, they decided to donate the food from these events to the “Community Hope” program at the Lyon’s VA Hospital in Stirling.

The donation, arranged by the SCDC Social Action and Veterans’ Caucuses working with Savor Restaurant, follow the organization’s monthly donation of groceries this past Tuesday.

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“With all the energy around our candidates and campaigns this year, we were disappointed to cancel both our nominating convention and our annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration,” said Peg Schaffer, SCDC chair. “But we’re glad good can come out of these hard times, and that these veterans are getting a full-on St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage dinner.”

The donations included corned beef and cabbage with all the fixings for 85 from Savor Restaurant on Main Street in Somerville, three six feet submarine sandwiches from Just Subs on Route 206 in Hillsborough, and the monthly contribution of 65 bags of groceries in conjunction with the Foodbank Network of Somerset County.

“My WWII veteran grandfather was a patient at Lyons, and I can’t think of a better way to make lemonade from lemons than to donate today’s St. Patrick’s feast to these veterans,” said Robert Petix, Jr., owner of Savor Restaurant who waived his profit to make the donation possible. “COVID-19 is having an impact on our business, but these veterans have given so much to the country that I’m glad to help out.”

Because of the cancellation of the nominating convention, the SCDC has developed an online voting system for convention delegates to choose the endorsed candidates for the June primary ballot. Voting will end at midnight Sunday, and results will be announced as soon as they are tabulated.