Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

CENTER TWP — In front of a crowd gathered Friday, Dec. 13, U.S. Navy veteran Jim Neudorfer read “I pledge allegiance to the flag” via the raised dots on the newly dedicated bronze braille American flag plaque at the Abie Abraham VA Health Care Center.

Neudorfer, who served from 1977 to 1981, was the first person to run his fingers across the plaque, which was presented to the center on North Duffy Road by the Pennsylvania Moose Association as part of its drive to donate braille flag plaques to every VA center in Pennsylvania.

“It’s just amazing,” Neudorfer said. “It just brings the true colors out of our flag. It represents something that I'm very proud of.”

The Friday donation pays tribute to the about 130,000 visually impaired veterans in the United States.

“The braille flag is a great addition here at the (health care center), and I think our visually impaired veterans will greatly appreciate it,” said Melissa Achtziger, associate director of patient care services at the Butler VA.

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

The Moose association has either placed or will be placing a braille flag within the next six to nine months at every Veterans Affairs location.

“We are also making arrangements to have one placed at Gettysburg Military Museum,” said Jim Hudak, former Moose association president.

The plaque in Butler County was installed earlier this week, and is on permanent display in the VA clinic’s medical ward next to a painting of the former Nixon Hotel.

Ron Huff, chairman of the Moose association’s veterans committee, praised the Butler VA for its assistance in getting the plaque set up in the building. During the presentation, Huff remarked on how America’s treatment of veterans has changed over the years.

“So many of our veterans, after Vietnam, were not well received in this country, and some of them are still having a hard time getting back,” Huff said. “I’ve talked to a lot of veterans, and they’re starting to feel a lot different about how the country treats them.

“You’re walking down through Walmart, and somebody walks up and says, ‘Thank you for being a veteran.’”

The first man to read the plaque, Neudorfer is not only legally blind, but underwent a heart transplant in 2007.

“It’s been over 17 years, and it’s the greatest gift I could have ever received,” Neudorfer said. “Four years later, I lost my sight, but I wouldn’t be here without the heart.”

The Moose association also intends to donate a flag plaque to a VA center in Bath, N.Y.

“For my home lodge, our veterans do not have a VA in the northern end of the (Pennsylvania), so our veterans all go into Bath, N.Y.,” said Tom Wells, president of the Pennsylvania Moose Association. “So they wanted to place a braille flag at the Bath VA.”

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, kisses the American braille flag hung up at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer who is visually impaired reads the American Braille Flag hung up at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a “Butler VA Braille Flag Presentation” ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (12/13/2024)

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, left, thanks Tom Wells, president of the Pennsylvania Moose Association, for the American braille flag that was dedicated during a ceremony at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, reads the American braille flag hung at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center ahead of a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 13. The Pennsylvania Moose Association, in partnership with the American Braille Flag Project, dedicated the flag to the Abie Abraham VA Health Center during the ceremony. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, is led by outreach coordinator Joshua Seybert to the American braille flag that was dedicated at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Navy veteran John Neudorfer, who is visually impaired, is escorted by outreach coordinator Joshua Seybert to the American braille flag that was dedicated at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Outreach coordinator Joshua Seybert speaks during a braille flag presentation at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Melissa Achtziger, associate director of patient care services, speaks during a braille flag presentation at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Ron Huff, chairman of the Pennsylvania Moose Association Veterans Committee, speaks during a braille flag presentation at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Outreach coordinator Joshua Seybert leads the Pledge of Allegiance during a braille flag presentation at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Tom Wells, president of the Pennsylvania Moose Association, speaks during a braille flag presentation at the Abie Abraham VA Health Center on Friday, Dec. 13. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle