July 2020
Volume 21, Number 2
COMPL
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Breakfast club gives local veterans a forum for sharing their stories By Gina Mazza
S
torytelling is ingrained in the very fabric of our humanity. The act of sharing our stories can identify our commonalities and connect us in ways that inspire, educate, catalyze action and even heal hearts. When it comes to our nation’s military veterans, every single one has an historic story to tell. That’s the inspiration behind the locally based Veterans Breakfast Club, or VBC. Over scrambled eggs, hot coffee and camaraderie, members of our nation’s armed forces—past and present—are given an opportunity to speak about their experiences. “Our mission is to create communities of listening around veterans and their stories so that this living history is never forgotten,”
explains Executive Director Todd DePastino of Mt. Lebanon. Each has a story to tell. All we need to do is ask.” Every veteran, regardless of
Todd DePastino when or how they served, is invited to participate, along with their families, friends and neighbors. The club is open to anyone in the community—veteran or non-veteran—and there are no membership dues. Last year, VBC brought together 7,500 community
members, all for the purpose of hearing veterans share their stories. “At each breakfast, we usually prearrange to have a couple of the veterans speak,” explains Ellie DePastino, the club’s media and communications manager. “We especially like to give the floor to World War II because their numbers are dwindling quickly. Then we open it up to the crowd. It’s always heartwarming and poignant.” The initial concept for the club was sparked in 2007 when Bridgeville resident Dan Cavanaugh began accompanying vets on trips to the war memorials in Washington, DC and serving as a bus captain. “I noticed that those trips weren’t just social, but also therapeutic,” recalls Dan, whose father served in World War II. “The Continued on page 4
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