Joe Caverly, Rolland Hewitt both of Petersburgh and Alvie Vincent of Berlin were the first customers of the Veterans Hall Cafe in Petersburgh. Rolland, whose name is in the Honor Roll of Veterans for Petersburgh, was eligible for free coffee. Caverly, who didn’t drink coffee when he went into the service in WW II, thought that 10 cents a cup would cover him. Alvie, who is not a veteran, paid the full price of $1. All the men made generous donations for their homemade cinnamon rolls.
The Cafe’s coffee is free for Veterans whose names are on the honor roll. Other Veterans pay the same as what coffee cost them when they went in the service. All others pay $1.
Normally open at 7 am, the Veterans Hall CafÄ will be open at 6 am during the first week of deer season to give the deer hunters a place to have a hot cup of good coffee and a breakfast treat.
The Hall is also open for walking from 7 am to 10 am. Walkers can walk in the warm and safety of the Hall to lively music.