COVINGTON, Ga. — Veterans from all generations, conflicts and backgrounds convened at Merryvale Assisted Living on Friday morning for the facility’s first veterans breakfast in over three years.
Despite its lengthy intermission due to the coronavirus pandemic, the gathering picked up right where it left off with an abundance of camaraderie and reflection. For longtime breakfast attendee and Vietnam veteran Jerry Love, sharing a monthly meal with a group of individuals who have similar experiences is healing.
“[The veterans breakfast] sort of keeps us alive, really. Because being a Vietnam vet, I didn’t get to come home like my dad from World War II,” Love said.
“So, it means a lot to be able to get together with some of the other folks and different branches of service and see how many of us are still walking around.
“I remember being on the ground a couple of times, but it’s stuff I’ve tried to forget. It’s nice to be able to come here and talk to people.”
Merryvale is resuming their recurring veterans breakfasts on the last Friday of each month. Open to all veterans, these meetings provide a space for these war heroes to recollect on their experiences and commemorate their service.
Martha Bishop, Merryvale’s activity assistant, commenced the breakfast with a greeting and rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In her concluding remarks, Bishop became visibly emotional. She relayed her sentiments regarding the event’s renewal afterward with The Covington News.
“These veterans deserve it,” Bishop said. “It encourages them very much because they share pains that nobody else can understand. Maybe it might be a different war, maybe it might be a different conflict, but they know the difficulties of the pains they’ve been through and it’s an encouragement that they can share those freely with each other. It is an honor to be able to do this.”
Breakfast options such as fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, pastries, assortment of juices and more were offered to friends old and new yearning for a new sense of connection.
“It’s good to see some people you haven’t seen in some time and tell stories,” Vietnam veteran Jack Coyle said. “Some of them are true, most of them are not. We kind of stretch it a little bit.”
Maureen Martin and Maunda Bethel were newcomers to this long awaited occasion.
Martin, an Air Force veteran, found the opportunity to form companionships with other veterans crucial and freeing.
“It’s hard to admit that you have a weakness. Everybody has this warrior mentality,” Martin said. “My brothers are veterans and they’re the ones that talked me into going to start connecting with other veterans because you need that. I didn’t do it for most of my life. I was a nurse and I became a teacher and you just go, go, go. And there wasn’t really an outlet for women veterans.”
Bethel, a Marine veteran, touched on the instant unification of fellow women veterans in a field traditionally dominated by men.
“One of the challenges that we face is at events like this. There typically isn’t a person who looks like me or Maureen,” Bethel said. “So when we see each other, we gravitate toward each other.”
Amid the fellowship, the 100th birthday of World War II veteran John Burson was honored with a patriotic birthday cake. Vietnam veteran Hubert Townley coordinated Burson’s celebration, to help show his admiration for his friend of over 40 years.
“He’s a patriot. That’s the most important thing,” Townley said. “He’s been involved in many activities and he’s been a contributor. Some people are takers and others are contributors. We have too many takers today but he was involved in doing things. He spent a lot of time volunteering.”
Merryvale Assisted Living plans to host its next veterans breakfast on Friday, July 28 at 9 a.m.
