At the Veterans Breakfast Club,

Stories Unite Us.

Check out our upcoming in-person veterans storytelling event schedule below. All are welcome to join us!

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History of V-J Day Lunch Lecture | August 12 at 11:30am

Date: August 12, 2026
Time: 11:30 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Jewish Community Center of Youngstown (505 Gypsy Lane Youngstown, Ohio 44504)
Events | In-Person Events

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club and the Jewish Community Center of Youngstown for a lunch lecture with historian Todd DePastino about the anniversary of V-J Day and the end of World War II. The Japanese surrender on August 14, 1945 is perhaps the most celebratory event in 20th century American history. Come hear how it came about, why it was never certain, and who the two people were in that famous Times Square Kiss (one was a Holocaust survivor).

Todd DePastino is founder and executive director of the Veterans Breakfast Club and author of the award-winning Bill Mauldin: A Life Up Front and six other books. A dynamic speaker with a Ph.D. in history from Yale, Todd has a gift for making the past come alive with insight, humor, and humanity.

This event is free and open to the public.

You don’t need to be a veteran to attend. Lunch is included.

We’d appreciate your RSVP and a suggested donation of $10 per person.

To RSVP, contact:

JCC Youngstown: 330-746-3250 ext #106 or bwilson@jewishyoungstown.org
Veterans Breakfast Club: 412-623-9029 or JoAnn@veteransbreakfastclub.org

The Veterans Breakfast Club brings American history to life. Join us to listen and learn, connect and heal, and say thank you to those who’ve served.

Thank you to the Youngstown JCC and the Thomases Family Endowment for Supporting this Event!

 

 

Breakfast in Sewickley, PA | August 19, 2026

Date: August 19, 2026
Time: 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Location: Christ Church Grove Farm (249 Duff Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143)
Events | In-Person Events

Come to our live, in-person breakfast in Sewickley, PA.

We meet at Christ Church Grove Farm (249 Duff Rd, Sewickley, PA 15143). You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, 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 sponsors!

 

 

Breakfast in Bethel Park, PA | Tuesday, September 1st, 8:30am

Date: September 1, 2026
Time: 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Location: Christ United Methodist Church (44 Highland Rd, Bethel Park 15102)
Events | In-Person Events

 

Join us in Bethel Park, PA, for a FREE VBC storytelling event where you’ll meet a remarkable collection of people, each with a story to tell.

Our breakfast location in Bethel Park, PA, is our largest, where the group can reach over 250 people. Our veteran attendees range from WWII and Korean War through the Post-9/11 era. The program is fast-moving and wide-ranging with lots of participation. Everyone is welcome to join us.

We meet at Christ United Methodist Church (44 Highland Rd, Bethel Park 15102) in a large hall that also serves as a gym. We show photos of veterans on the three screens at the front and interact with as many veterans as we can. You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, 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, veterans share slices 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 joann@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 event sponsors: Aetna, JF Slater, Discovery Commons, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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