Pa. school holds 1st Veterans Day breakfast since COVID
HORSHAM, Pa. (CBS) -- At Keith Valley Middle School, students spent their morning honoring veterans this Veterans Day.
Students sat with active and former military service members and their families at the school's annual Veterans Day breakfast Friday, offering a helping hand and a listening ear.
One veteran joked and said a student wrote him a letter thanking him for serving in World War I. And while he found it funny, the day was also an important time for veterans to share their lived experiences and their stories of survival.
Veterans gave speeches to an audience of students and fellow veterans.
"The life expectancy when I was in [the military], it was less than 30 days," veteran U.S. Army specialist Michael F. Bernard told the crowd. "And most of them never made it out."
Veterans bonded with students over eggs, toast and coffee. The event is the school's way of thanking active duty and retired service members and hearing their stories.
"You've got to talk about it and you've got to let it out," Bernard added. "I don't know how I coped with it, to be honest. I just did."
"We obviously didn't live through the things that they lived through, so we get to learn about a piece of history with them," said student Sara Duffey. "We wouldn't be here if they weren't so brave."
Principal Jonathan Kircher says the school has been feeding veterans and their families breakfast on Veterans Day since 2005. This year marks the first time they've been able to sit together since the pandemic.
"Making connections ... learning real-life experiences, that's the most important thing today," Kircher said.
More than 100 people participated in the day's events. School leaders say they'll be back at the school next year, same time, same place.