BY JOSIE DECARO (’19)
“I know a veteran can be hard to spot because you all don’t walk around decked out in medals and bragging about your accomplishments,” said social studies teach JR Wait during the opening introduction of the Veterans Day Breakfast. “Which is why a morning like this are good for the rest of us to humbly recognize you service, courage and bravery.”
The Varsity G Club held their first Veterans Day Breakfast to honor local veterans, which was held in the high school library on November 13th. Wait is the first year adviser of the Club, which is a club of students who have or going to receive their varsity letter. Wait is also, “the proud son of a decorated Vietnam veteran.”
This year, Veterans Day, or Armistice Day, was on Sunday, Nov. 11, which was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Also on this day 100 years ago (1918) the Armistice was signed on the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day which ended World War I between the Allies and Germany. In this war the US had 4.7 million brave men who served.
“We hope to make a new tradition here at Granville High School of honoring our local war veterans over a breakfast,” Wait stated. “There was a large buffet and a small collection of students from the band who performed the national anthem.
There was a great turnout of veterans that showed up to this breakfast and each were accompanied by Varsity G Club members at the dining tables.
Varsity G Club members sit and socialize with veterans at the dining tables. (BluePrints Photo/Josie DeCaro)“I think it’s pretty cool to see all the people around our town that are coming to our high school with everybody and getting to know us,” said junior Trevor Crumley.
The opening of the breakfast started with the performance of the national anthem. As veterans raised their right hand and saluted to the flag, the feeling of pride and bravery overwhelmed the room. To be in the presence of so many courageous men and war hero’s is unlike anything else. Following the national anthem, right hands remained firmly placed across hearts from the pledge of allegiance.
Before the veterans proceeded to get their food after, Pastor Todd Naille from the Granville Chapel, led the room in prayer. The veterans and others in the room bowed their heads in prayer and silence overwhelmed the room.
Observing around the room the veterans wore their pristine uniforms and hats with gold, silver and colored metals each with their own stories to tell. Each had a smile on their face while conversing with one another. Veterans who were accompanied by their loved ones, their pride radiated off them and into the students and teachers.
