Army veteran Johnny Persall talks about his time in the military during Monday’s Veterans Day Lunch at the Fairview Senior Center.

FAIRVIEW — For the 16th straight year, local veterans were honored and served a free lunch at the Fairview Senior Center in recognition of Veterans Day.

Around 50 people were in attendance and served a traditional military meal of chipped beef on toast — also known to service members as S.O.S. 

Around half of the crowd’s members were former members of the armed forces, and they were joined some of their family and family members of veterans who were unable to attend.

Former Air Force member and Korean War veteran Burell Boyd opened the afternoon with a few words, and Fairview Mayor Keith Henry expressed his thanks for the veterans’ service.

State Rep. Randall Shedd was also in attendance, and thanked all veterans for their sacrifices they have made for the nation’s freedom, and he also made special notice of military spouses, who make their own sacrifices at home. 

“I thank y’all for your service,” he said. “On behalf of Gov. Ivey and the State of Alabama, we are very grateful for your service.”

Boyd said the annual event usually brings in around 50-60 people from Fairview and surrounding areas, and the Town of Fairview provides the food that his wife Doris cooks to honor those who served.

“It’s about the least we could do for the veterans,” he said. 

Before eating, each veteran or family member also got the chance to stand up and speak about their service or family’s service in the military.

One of those veterans, Jerome Pearson, an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam, said he has attended every one of Fairview’s Veterans Day lunches except last year’s, when he was getting a knee replacement, but he hopes that surgery means he won’t miss any more.

With the exception of his time in the military, Pearson has been a lifelong resident of Fairview, and he said he appreciates the town for hosting the Veterans Day lunch every year and its continued recognition of service members. 

“It’s one of the best things we’ve ever had,” he said. “I’m just thankful for the town, and what they do for us and how they recognize us.”