Elementary hosts luncheon for veterans

East Central Elementary students recognize local veterans

For over 10-years the faculty and staff at East Central Elementary School have welcomed veterans from the community to come and eat with family for free at the annual Veterans Day Luncheon.

The school hosted 105 family members Monday morning with 59 of those being military veterans. Principal Kristin Teems was afraid the cold rainy weather would keep some away she said as she served drinks to visitors.

Visiting veterans were given a meal ticket upon check in and met with their EC family members to claim a meal of either BBQ or county fried steak for lunch. Potatoes, salad and rolls were also on the menu for Monday’s luncheon.

Lori Smith, the school’s speech therapist, said this was a very important event not only to show the veterans of the community support, but also to teach the students of the school about veterans.

“We started about two weeks ago teaching students what a veteran is,” she said. “We showed them a program on ECTV and had two veterans come and talk to them as well.”

The school sent home forms for the kids to fill out in order to let the school know who was coming Smith said. They also were sent home with a form to fill out for the veteran’s wall in the cafeteria. The veteran’s wall displayed pictures and descriptions of the student’s relatives who served in various military branches, with several coming to the luncheon.

Smith helped the past coordinator of the luncheon when she first began to work at East Central and after they left it became her project. The event has grown in scale over the years Teems added. For example, this year dessert and coffee was available for the veterans for the first time. There were over 2o desserts all made by teachers at the school according to volunteer Allison Hunter.

“This is my favorite day of the year,” Hunter said.

Hunter’s fourth grade daughter Emerson was there eating lunch along with her two grand fathers who served in the Marine Corps and Navy as well as her great-uncle who served in the Army. Also in

attendance was Rome City School Superintendent Louis Byars who ate lunch with his granddaughter. Byars is a U.S. Army veteran who graduated from West Point and during his military career was a Huey pilot.

Also in attendance was fourth grade teacher Mary McAlister who served in the Marine Corps from 20052006. McAlister was presented with a flag banner made by her students at the luncheon.

Liam Sanders (front blue sweatshirt) and his grandfather U.S. Army veteran Wayne Kirsch (black ball cap) help themselves to lunch at East Central Elementary School on Monday morning. The schools provided free lunch, coffee and dessert for all veterans who came to eat with a family member.

Photos by John Popham LEFT: From left are: Jesica Chay Utuc, Asa Cook, Javia Woodard, Aden Ingram and Jerne Winston with 4th grade teacher and veteran of the United States Marine Corps Mary McAlister. The fourth grade class made and presented McAlister with a American flag banner during the Veterans Day luncheonBELOW: Emerson Hunter, far right, in red, sits with both of her grandfathers Gary Hunter, far left, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and Richard Landry, left, United states Marine corps veteran and great-uncle David Hunter, a U.S. Army vet, right.

/ John Popham Volunteer Allison Hunter, left, serves father-in-law and U.S. Navy Veteran Guy Hunter one of the 20 desserts made by East Central teachers for the Veterans Day Luncheon.