The American Legion New Liberty Post 212's monthly free breakfast for all Veterans, their family, friends, and supporters was again well attended on Valentine's Day. The Veterans were very grateful to the City of Luttrell for sponsoring this event. Luttrell Mayor Jerry Lawson briefly reviewed some of the challenges the town of Luttrell has faced and overcome, noting that Luttrell's population is about half that of Maynardville. There was some good-natured kidding about stopping at the sign that says Luttrell City Hall and being handed a menu. (City Hall moved to their new building in 2017!) Mayor Lawson is a strong supporter of all Veterans. His son is presently serving with the Marine Corps in Japan.

State Representative Dennis Powers made it clear that he was not attending the Veterans Breakfast as a politician but as a citizen and lifelong supporter of Veterans. His father, brother, and nephews are all Veterans, and Dennis supports these Veteran Breakfasts in Campbell County, where he lives. He came to this breakfast out of respect and to show his support for Union County Vets.

Chris Albrecht of the United Veterans Council of East TN (UVCET) attended this breakfast. UVCET hosts 17+ monthly free breakfast locations across East Tennessee, providing camaraderie and meals for veterans and their guests. These breakfasts are at various locations, including Knoxville, Powell, Kodak, Sevierville, Seymour, Louisville, and Newport. And, now, Maynardville!

It was so good to see that the UCHS JROTC was represented at the breakfast. Timothy, Dakota, Haley, and Chelsea all plan to become welders in the Marines, National Guard, and Navy when they graduate. They assisted the members of Post 212 with the smooth running of the event and handed out the door prizes.

And door prizes!! Gift certificates to Lowe’s and Food City were awarded as well as a beautiful American flag picture frame. A copy of the 4.8-star-rated book, The Longest Rescue: The Life and Legacy of Vietnam POW William A. Robinson, was the last door prize. This book is recommended reading for anyone interested in US history. It is a gripping account of U.S. Air Force POW William Robinson's record-breaking 2,703-day captivity in Vietnam, which included a stay in the notorious Hanoi Hilton. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%E1%BB%8Fa_L%C3%B2_Prison

If you haven’t attended one of these breakfasts, you should go to the next one on Saturday, March 14. Meet at 8:00 am to shoot the breeze, and enjoy a hot breakfast, prepared by Food City and served by Veteran Volunteers, at 8:30. For any questions, contact Adjutant Norman Gillen at Adjutant@altnpost212.org