Veterans’ stories live on through annual breakfasts

Student Council serves breakfast to veterans at Keith Valley Middle School.

Veterans pass down the spirit of service intergenerationally to students at the annual Veterans Breakfasts in Hatboro-Horsham School District.

Each year, the Keith Valley Middle School welcomes hundreds of veterans and active-duty military personnel for a brief ceremony and breakfast. In honor of Veterans Day, students presented the military flags, performed “Taps,” and heard remarks from Principal Jon Kircher and Superintendent Scott Eveslage. The seventh and eighth grade chorus sang the National Anthem and the song, “We Honor You,” followed by Student Council serving breakfast.

Norman Hawkes, former Mayor of Hatboro for 12 years and retired teacher, attended the breakfast. He served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne in the U.S. Army. “I was lucky. I served between the Korean and Vietnam Wars,” said Hawkes, who served three years active duty and three years in reserve from 1957 to 1963.

Veteran Barry Weidner served in Vietnam from 1966 to 1969 in the U.S. Army. He served as a combat engineer, commander and shortly as a tactical communications chief. Weidner attended the breakfast with his granddaughter, Emma, a sixth-grade student. “I hope the students here understand the sacrifices their relatives in the military have made,” said Weidner.

Veteran Douglas Thomas served in the U.S. Army with the 2nd Infantry Division. As a stenographer in South Korea, he used shorthand to create a written record of what was said, which was often highly classified information. After returning to the U.S., Thomas was stationed in Fort Myer, VA, and worked at the Pentagon in the Army’s personnel operations. In this role, he answered letters from family members and had the secretary of defense sign off on them. For example, a family may send a letter about their child(ren) dying from military service. Under a section of the Military Selective Service Act of 1948, the family could then ask that their sole surviving son or daughter come home from the service, and Thomas would draft the response letter back. “It’s important to have young people interested in the service. All branches – except the Marines – are not meeting their recruitment goals,” said Thomas.

After the service, Thomas attended law school on the GI Bill, which covered all tuition and some living expenses. “If it’s financially difficult for you to go to college, consider enlisting in the military for a few years and they can help,” he said. After law school, Thomas was a lawyer and partner at Duffy North in Hatboro for 45 years.

Similar to the tradition at Keith Valley Middle School, students invited their family members to Blair Mill Elementary School’s Veterans Breakfast. The Home and School Association provided breakfast, and several student groups performed songs and read poems or thank you letters. Every veteran also received handmade drawings and cards from students.

One of the veterans in attendance was Vincent Orsini, who was there with his granddaughter, Avery, a second-grade student. Orsini served as an infantry Marine from 1973-1976 in Okinawa, Japan. “I hope the kids can appreciate the freedom of the country they live in, and all the military has done for them,” said Orsini.

Additionally, Hatboro-Horsham High School held a ceremony and breakfast, and each school in the district celebrated Veterans Day with class projects and learning opportunities.