SHERBURNE – During Thursday’s lunch at Sherburne-Earlville Elementary, jovial veterans of the United States Armed Forces could be spotted with well-trained eyes, camouflaged among gaggles of excited grade schoolers. The hardened vets grinned sheepishly as awestruck youngsters fawned over them while they ate lunch, compliments of the S-E School District.

Eighty veterans reserved a seat in the school’s cafeteria after children in grades K through 5 brought home invitations for family members and friends who served the nation. The students proudly showed them off to their friends, and shared a meal with them. Thursday marked the first year the school has invited vets in for a Veterans Day/Thanksgiving celebration.

“I shamelessly stole the idea from Morrisville-Eaton,” confided fifth grade teacher Gene Thomas. Thomas absconded with the concept of a Veterans Day/Thanksgiving celebration after his own children had such a great time doing it with their own grandparents, in the Morrisville-Eaton Central School District. “It is a great experience for the kids to meet the real people and heroes who have served our nation.”

Veterans arrived during four different lunch periods and their time of arrival depended on the grade of the child who extended an invite to them. Upon arrival, the seasoned warriors flocked around a sign-up desk, diligently administrated by a detachment of 5th graders. As part of their service to the veterans, a platoon of 5th graders hand-crafted red, white and blue ribbons, which were subsequently pinned on the chests of the veterans.

Sign-in desk overseer and fifth grade teacher Margaret McDowell looked on as the kids pinned the ribbons on the incoming veterans. “The kids thought it would be a nice gesture to show their appreciation,” she said.