![House 4 Assistant Principal and Pay It Forward Adviser Katie Sullivan speaks at the Veterans Breakfast on Nov. 8 to commemorate the veteran attendees. Sullivan started this event in 2011 and is her “favorite thing [she has] ever started here in town.”](https://www.lancerspiritonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Sully-speaking-1-e1762818113717.jpg)
The aroma of coffee lingers, blending with the sound of chatter and laughter in the cafeteria as student helpers, speakers, and nearly 200 local veterans gathered together at the high school this past Saturday.
For 14 years, this tradition has honored those who have served in the U.S. military, hosted by House 4 Assistant Principal and Pay It Forward Adviser Katie Sullivan along with her Pay It Forward students at their annual Veterans Breakfast, which this year, was held on Nov. 8.
People often say ‘thank you for your service’ on Veterans Day, but Sullivan and her students show their appreciation through action.
“There’s nothing better than this day,” Sullivan said. “Seeing the Veterans come year after year and getting to know them, this is my Christmas. Veterans Day is by far my favorite holiday.”
Sullivan, growing up in this town in a military family, has known many of these veterans since she was little.
“Now, being able to give back to them, just a simple event like this, it means the world to me because they have done so much for me, the community and all the other kids,” Sullivan said. “This is just a small thing that I could do for them.”
There was a wide range of ages amongst the veteran attendees at the breakfast. Army Air Force (AAF) and Coast Guard Veteran Max Oberlin was the eldest veteran in attendance at 100 years old.
Oberlin served in the AAF during World War II, the 307th Bombardment Group, the 13th Air Force and the 172nd Bomb Squadron in the South Pacific. He got out of the service in 1946, but then re-enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1948, “serving out the 20 years until [his] retirement.”
“I enjoyed my career,” Oberlin said, “and I’m very pleased to still be alive and kicking this late day. It is a strange feeling,though, when you’re the oldest one in the building.”
Oberlin has a lot of pride for the years he has committed to the military and is “glad that people are serving in the service because it’s an obligation, and it’s one that should be served by all.”
On the opposite end of the age spectrum is the youngest veteran in attendance, 30-year-old Melony McGreevy, a National Guard and Air Force veteran. After six years of full enlistment and service, she was honorably discharged and went to college for teaching, ultimately ending up at North Elementary School.
“It feels pretty surreal,” McGreevy said. “I love coming to this every year, [and] I’m thankful to be able to show up here. I love and have so much respect for all the older veterans that are here.”
With veterans of all ages gathered in the cafeteria, this breakfast is a reminder of how many men and women have put their lives on the line for this country.
“[I] look up to them and everything that they went through,” McGreevy said. “Like many people have said, there are so many different generations here. It’s wonderful to meet someone who’s 100 years old from World War II. It’s truly phenomenal.”
Many students, some with family connections to veterans, feel privileged to help out. Senior Sienna Piland’s grandfather served in the Air Force, and she felt it was “really great and awesome” to watch all the community members walking in to support the cause.
“I love seeing all the veterans,” Piland said. “I am especially doing this for my grandfather and everyone else who has served.”
Senior Leah Kemball-Cook introduced the Blue and Purple Star Lancers and gave a speech expressing her own gratitude for the military, as her sister has been in the Coast Guard for five years. To the veterans, she “would just like to say thank you.”
“It feels really good to be able to give back to the people who have dedicated themselves to our country,” Kemball-Cook said. “My sister is in the military, so it’s really special to be able to help out.”
At the food tables, members of Pay It Forward helped distribute food, coffee, and baked goods to the veterans as an act of appreciation. Freshman Casey O’Donnell finds it “great to help out and see them smile” as she hands out yogurt. Freshman Quinn Campo feels like helping out at the event “makes [her] feel like a better person” and that it “feels really good to make someone’s day.”
Senior Alison Chambers worked the event by greeting everyone walking in and signing them in. She “feels great seeing the smiles on their faces; it’s really heartwarming.” Senior Carter Washington also helped welcome people at the door and managed the food. He enjoyed “seeing everybody so happy and all together for breakfast.”
During the breakfast, various speeches were presented by students and community members, along with performances by senior Rebecca “Beck” Solomons and the symphonic band, commemorating the veterans through meaningful music and words.
It “meant a lot” to Solomons when she was asked to perform “Amazing Grace” and “America the Beautiful” for the veterans.
“In other, more casual events, it’s just for fun, but when it comes to events like these, I really feel it because it is something that I love to do in honor of other people’s dedication,” Solomons said. “You can say thank you as much as you can [to those who have served our country]; but to sing it means a lot more, so I really love doing it.”
One student who moved people with her words was the president of Blue and Purple Star Lancers, senior Kelsey Sweet. Her speech talked about the club’s mission and the importance of supporting veterans, and her own personal experience growing up with a father in the military.
“I have vague memories of my dad not being home and what birthdays and holidays were like, but I remember that he was always trying to be home for the holidays,” Sweet said. “I’m trying to support people in my community and just try to make a better impact on the people around me.”
Her goal is to provide “comfort to people in any situation where there may be a need,” which is one of the main motivating factors behind this annual breakfast. Another student speaker, senior Graham Killelea, who is a member of Pay it Forward, has seen firsthand the positive impact of this event because of his involvement.
“It’s a great event to help out at and see all the people that sacrificed their lives to protect our country,” Killelea said. “It is really great seeing them all come together.”
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