NEW LOCATION! Join us for a picnic breakfast at the Outdoor Pavilion at the Ohio Township Community Park (325 Nicholson Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143) at 9:00am.
101st Airborne Division veteran Rick Weber calls the VBC “The Best Show in Town,” and when I look at the photo above, I understand why.
On the left is Kathy Silvia speaking at our breakfast at Christ Church at Grove Farm back on May 8, 2019. Kathy was a member of the first class at West Point to admit women, and she told the story of what that pioneering experience was like. She also spoke about a long Army career in artillery and logistics around the world in Crete, NATO Europe, South Korea, and Panama before serving in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. She now serves on the Board of the Military Women’s Memorial as a Pennsylvania ambassador.
To Kathy’s right is Harry Van Riper, cover boy of the Summer 2023 issue of VBC Magazine. Harry’s wife Susan leads a hardworking team of volunteers setting up, cooking, and serving breakfast at the church for the VBC. Harry lost his left arm to an NVA rocket on August 19, 1968 while serving in one of the few mechanized units in Vietnam, the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment attached to the 25thInfantry Division headquartered in Cu Chi. Harry has told us plainly at our events that “losing my arm was the best thing that ever happened to me.” You have to hear him explain it to understand why.
Finally, speaking on right is 101-year-old Guy Prestia. If you look closely at his bolo tie, you can see the yellow thunderbird of the 45th Infantry Division. That division was one of the first to reach Europe through North Africa to Sicily and Italian mainland. He participated in four beach invasions, including Anzio and southern France, and endured 511 days of combat and more than 63,000 casualties. Guy seems to remember every detail of his service, and he faithfully attends our events at Christ Church at Grove Farm
Join us to meet Kathy, Harry, Guy and others on Wednesday, June 21 at 8:30am. You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, pay $15 if you plan to eat (no cost for those who don’t), and meet others who are there to hear and share the stories. Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, we circulate the room with the microphone and have veterans share a slice of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance. We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Thank you to our Sponsor!
