All Things Heroes Cafe and the work they do on behalf of veterans

Please join us as we welcome Gary Walderman, founder and director of Heroes’ Café in Lynnwood. Gary is an Air Force veteran with 21 years of service, including Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 2016 and 2017 he brought together a small group of fellow veterans to create something he believed was missing: a place where veterans could gather, reconnect, and support one another.

Heroes’ Café meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at New Life Church in Lynnwood. Veterans and their families share a hot meal, swap stories, and connect with resources, including a Veterans Service Officer who is on hand to answer questions. Behind the coffee and conversation is a serious mission: reducing veteran isolation and preventing veteran suicide by making sure no veteran has to carry their burdens alone.

The café now welcomes well over a hundred veterans and family members each month and has inspired similar gatherings in Shoreline and Woodinville. Gary also collects cold-weather clothing and hygiene kits and helps individual veterans with practical needs as they arise. In recognition of this work, the American Red Cross Northwest Region honored him with its 2025 Clare Waite Humanitarian Award.

Come hear Gary’s story and learn how our club can support the veterans in our community.