Deborah Prescott | Daily Press Taylor Artley and her friend Bill Mileski enjoy their breakfasts Friday morning during the Soo Hill Elementary Veteran Breakfast. Veterans were invited to attend the breakfast by students.

ESCANABA – Sixty Soo Hill Elementary students invited 73 veterans to a breakfast in their honor at the school Friday. Soo Hill Special Education teacher Kaisa Ives asked each student to hand-write an invitation to a veteran they knew, requesting their presence to join them at the Veteran Breakfast. The invitations were sent through the mail.

“The students were really excited to write invitations and mail them out,” said Ives. “Especially to the different people they were inviting. It was just a really good learning experience for them, to understand what it is to be a veteran.”

Third-graders Kendra Lafave and Carter Scheuren opened the front doors for each and every veteran that came to the school. They both said they enjoyed the activity.

Third-graders Jaycee Cloutier, Cristel Barragan and second-graders Sara-Lily Barron and Vincent Orzel greeted and thanked the arriving guests for their service and arriving for the breakfast. Veterans were escorted by students into the kitchen area to meet with the student who sent the invitation.

The hosts put on a program for the veterans and named all the sponsors that helped with the breakfast before presenting a check for $624.18 to U.P. Honor Flight director Scott Knauf.

“The donation for the Honor Flight was through our coin drive. Each student had an opportunity to bring in change for the donation. The winning class with the largest donation was Mrs.Verbeek’s third grade,” said Ives. “This was the first year partnering with the UP Honor Flight and we look forward to future opportunities to give back to our community.”

Veterans and students were treated to a breakfast catered by The Family Inn restaurant.

“The breakfast is being catered in by The Family Inn,” said Ives. “We have pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns …”

Ives thought providing a breakfast would be a good way to honor veterans and a good community project for her class. This is the second year Soo Hill Elementary hosted a breakfast for veterans before Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Third-grader Taylor Artley invited her friend Bill Mileski and gave a “thumbs up” to the breakfast.

“I was very proud to receive my invitation from Taylor,” said Mileski.

Mileski was on Mission XVI of the U.P. Honor Flight in May.

“There’s a respect of being on the Honor Flight, and being invited to this breakfast too,” Mileski said.

David Seppanen drove from Skandia to be with his grandchildren, Arabella and Henry Lippens, for the breakfast.

“I was so glad to get the invitation,” said Seppanen. “I drove through snow this morning to see my grandkids.”

Students decorated the kitchen for the veterans and each student made placemats. Second-grader Michael Caron proudly presented the placemat he created to his grandfather, John Gendron, an Army veteran. Gendron told his grandson he did a really good job making the mat. Gendron was truly touched by the Veteran Breakfast the school and students provided.

“I thought it was great to receive an invitation through the mail,” said Gendron. “People who do things like this make it all worth while. I really appreciate it.”

Air Force veteran, Steve Weber, was invited by his granddaughter, Peyton Weber, and enjoyed the time spent together over breakfast.

“I loved receiving the invitation through the mail, I did absolutely. Great breakfast,” said Steve.

Third-grader Emma Lacarte invited her grandfather, Harley Lacarte. Harley is an Army veteran who spent time in Kentucky, Texas and Alaska, where he said the Army considers out of the country.

Second-year guest, Edward Terres “Papa T”, attended by invitation of his neighbor third-grader Abigail Gardner. Terres and Gardner may not be relatives by blood, but they consider each other family.

“Abigail gave me a card this morning,” said Terres. “We have been neighbors for many years.”

Terres is a U.S. Navy Air Force veteran and flew B-17s in the Korean War.

First-grader Harper Farrell invited three veterans in her life, two grandfathers and a neighbor. Grandfather Charles Olsen is a U.S. Air Force veteran and neighbor Ray Houle is an Army veteran, both felt very honored and they truly appreciated the breakfast.

This is the second year student Marshall Tilot invited his friend Army veteran George Ives to the Veteran Breakfast. Ives was in the Army during the Vietnam War, 1969-1970. Student and veteran enjoyed the breakfast and Tilot remembered doughnuts were on the menu the previous year.

“I didn’t see any doughnuts, but I had nine pieces of bacon today,” said Tilot.

Thanks to local businesses, many individuals, and the Soo Hill Parent Teacher Organization, the students and their special guests were able to spend quality time together while enjoying a good breakfast.

“We’re just thankful as a school that we’re able to partner with our community to do this and do it as part of our Leader in Me program,” said Ives. “It’s just a great way for the students to showcase our thankfulness and appreciation this time of the year.”