AN HONOR TO SERVE

Students in Thompson Falls got to say thanks to local veterans on Monday, Veterans Day, with a special lunch. About 30 veterans had lunch at the school Monday. They had the chance to eat with the elementary students and members of the elementary and junior high student councils served the veterans.

"I think it's good because of how much they help us and it's good for us to help them back," said student Kylie Huff.

Darrel Marks of Thompson Falls served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He had lunch with a group of third graders and said he was thankful for what the school did. Marks said he still has a box filled with what he estimates is a couple thousand letters that he was sent from kids in Spokane schools while he was deployed in Vietnam. Marks on Monday took home a pile of handmade cards from Thompson Falls students to add to his keepsake box.

Diego Long is an eighth-grade student who serves as vice president on the junior high student council. He had lunch with veterans Cody Brown, Ron Hawkinson and Dan Mathis, all of Thompson Fall. Long said he enjoyed hearing stories about the veterans serving the country. "They were thankful for the food," Long said, adding that he told the veterans about school programs such as GEAR UP. Long said students made cards and posters to give to veterans and to hang on the walls of the lunchroom.

The school lunch staff served the veterans chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and cornbread, along with dessert. Len Dorscher, elementary principal, said they had more veterans than last year and he appreciated that some of the veterans brought scrapbooks and shared what it was like to serve.