By Ray Lapine, Northwest Region

Every fourth Tuesday morning, the conversations and coffee flow at the Heroes Cafe in Lynnwood. Some 160 regulars show up for the chance to connect with other veterans. Volunteers cook up a hot lunch and make sure some extra food is on hand for those who want or need to take some home.

Air Force veteran Gary Walderman created the cafe after he met with a small group of veterans in 2016. There are now two other Heroes Cafes in the area, and more are planned.

The veterans who come to the cafe find it meets a need that's hard to fulfill in their daily conversations with people who have never been in the military.

“Veterans talk another language,” is a comment often heard.

“Sometimes the people we talk to in the rest of our lives don't understand where we are now,” is another.

But beyond the social interaction possible at the morning gatherings, Alderman has a special purpose behind the cafe: to end veterans' suicide. Gary wears a wrist band with the number 22 on it; that's the number of veterans who commit suicide each day in this country.

Gary has credited the ability of veterans to talk with other veterans with similar experiences for helping people get things off their chest and stopping dark thoughts from festering. As he told Seattle public radio, “We all know if something festers inside, it usually is not a good outcome.”

“You saved my life” are the four words that motivate Gary.

For his service to the community in developing the Heroes Cafe, Gary Alderman is the Dec. 2025 honoree of the Red Cross Northwest Region Clare Waite Humanitarian Award. This award is given to someone in the community who exemplifies a long-standing commitment to the American Red Cross and the mission of helping our community. In memoriam of Clare Waite who worked for the American Red Cross for over 30 years, this award is granted every year to honor the late Clare Waite’s legacy of humanitarian service.

According to the Lynnwood Chamber of Commerce, Heroes Café Lynnwood meets on the 4^th Tuesday of every month at 6519 188^th St. SW, Lynnwood, from 9:00am to 1:00pm and encourages veterans to stop in.