Sandy Hook School Honors Veterans At Breakfast

By Nancy K. Crevier

More than 40 veterans representing all branches of the United States armed forces were honored at a special flag-raising ceremony and breakfast sponsored by the Sandy Hook School PTA and administration at the school, Monday, November 10. The flag, raised early Monday morning by school custodian and veteran Dennis Best as students and their guests stood by, was a gift of Commander Charles Kirol, US Navy Reserves, who returned home this past spring from a deployment in Kuwait. He said the flag was “proudly flown for Sandy Hook School” over the Seabee Compound at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on May 15.

Following the flag-raising ceremony, the veterans visited their young hosts’ classrooms, and then proceeded to the cafeteria where a buffet breakfast was served. The veterans enjoyed musical performances on guitar and piano by fourth grade students Hunter Cobb, Erin Tressler, Grant Larson, Josh Rivera, Gillian Chanko, Justin Cicorelli, Lindsay Francisco, Meghan Doyle, Tim Cervera, Peter Clifford, and Andrew Lee, as well as a choral performance by Ms Usher’s fourth grade class.

Vice Principal Barbara Gasparine expressed thanks to the veterans in attendance, saying that the breakfast was just a small way to “pay tribute to our veterans.” Commander Kirol presented a certificate of authenticity for the flag to Sandy Hook School Principal Donna Pagé and Ms Gasparine during a brief ceremony at the breakfast.

“We accept this with honor,” said Ms Pagé. Commander Kirol said that while his deployment had made it impossible for him to attend the breakfast last year, he was pleased for the opportunity to do so this year, and that he had anxiously been waiting for the chance to present the special flag to the school since returning to Newtown.

This year’s breakfast was the fourth year that the school has hosted the veterans for breakfast, and is an exciting event for the students and staff, said Ms Gasparine.