MINT HILL, NC – Mint Hill honored local veterans 2020-style with a drive-thru event. This year’s event was held at the Veteran’s Memorial Park in Mint Hill on Saturday, November 14. Veterans were honored with a drive-thru event this year out of concern for the health and safety of all participants. All veterans in the Mint Hill area received an invitation to the special event hosted by the Town of Mint Hill and the Chamber of Commerce. All participants were asked to RSVP to ensure that presence could be honored and all safety measures could be taken. In a town where making sure each of the residents feels the love and support of their community, the town knew it was a priority to make sure this year’s event not only made each Veteran feel honored but also safe.
In past years the Town of Mint Hill and the Chamber of Commerce have joined together and hosted a breakfast to honor the many veterans in our town. The decision to have a modified event came when the town knew that out of all the events that could not be held this year that the Veteran’s Day celebration could not be one of those. Out of respect for our veterans, the town wanted to make sure each service member knew the appreciation the community has for each one of them. Veteran’s Day is a day that all service members are honored for their past and present service. Our great nation appreciates their service and not showing them that appreciation was not an option. It is a special day, and each year it needs to be recognized. Ed Berti, Commander, Mint Hill American Legion Post 555 said it best: “Veterans Day is a day to recognize and honor all our veterans who served this great nation honorably in the past and to those service members who continue to defend our freedoms and liberty today.” In the year 2020, it should be no different.
Even with all the changes, the Town of Mint Hill came together and created an honorable event at the park. As veterans arrived in their vehicles, they were greeted by local boy scouts and their leaders. All of the flags were flying proudly, especially the huge American flag displayed from the local Mint Hill Fire Truck. It was truly a sight to been seen. During the drive-thru event, service members were honored with bagged breakfast along with a recognition letter. Attached to the recognition letter was a pin from the Town of Mint Hill honoring all the veterans that live here in our community. Music was playing, town officials were greeting service members, the Chamber of Commerce members were helping to hand out the “honorable gift and breakfast,” and local boy scouts and leaders were truly showing all the appreciation that our town has for our veterans. It was a very memorable event.
“The Town of Mint Hill has honored our veterans with an annual breakfast for the past 20 years,” said Berti. “This year, due to COVID-19 and social distancing, the town had to adjust and break with tradition. However, the drive-thru this morning was certainly patriotic and honors our local veterans for their service. I know it’s much appreciated by all our veterans, and we look forward to returning to normalcy next year.” It takes a town with a ton of pride and honor to be able to put on a successful event of this nature, and Mint Hill pulled it off beautifully.
