8th annual Mayor’s Veterans Day Breakfast a chance to leave troubles at the door

ASHLAND — The smell of freedom wafted Wednesday morning throughout the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club.

It was accompanied by the scent of sacrifice. Of course, no complaints were made about the aroma of bacon, eggs and other breakfast items ready to be served.

Hundreds of veterans joined Ashland city and county officials for the 8th annual Mayor’s Veterans Day Breakfast. The complimentary breakfast was made possible thanks to donations from the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club, Runyan Memorial veterans organization and numerous community supporters.

Veterans were greeted by claps, cheers and signs of support as they entered the building while members of Ashland’s American Heritage Girls troop lined the entrance.

Mayor Matt Miller and State Rep. Melanie Miller, the mayor’s wife, greeted each veteran and pinned ribbons on their shirts and jackets before they found their way to a seat.

But the event was about more than breakfast. It was a chance for veterans to leave their troubles at the door, said Afghanistan veteran Tim Chandler.

“You’re connecting with all your buddies and all your fellow vets,” Chandler said. “Those problems that you have, they’re gone.”

A 1976 Ashland High School grad, Chandler was deployed to Afghanistan from 2007 to 2008. Upon his return in 2009, he became aware of the issue of veteran mental health and suicide.

Chandler launched Silent Watch — a non-profit organization which aims to bring awareness to those issues — with some friends in Mansfield.

Although events like Wednesday can provide temporary escape from problems for veterans, Chandler said many issues creep back in, so he does his best to connect with as many veterans as possible.

“But today, you can just see, it’s a lot of smiles and cheers and smack-slap handshakes and all that,” he said. “They don’t worry about what was, right now it’s what is.”

Mayor thanks Eagles for support, highlights plan for veterans banners

The Ashland Fraternal Order of Eagles presented an $8,000 donation to Miller and Grow Ashland Economic Development to help pay for and continue to save for the annual breakfast.

The mayor thanked the Eagles for its continued support of local events and initiatives related to veterans. He said the club has donated somewhere in the neighborhood of $80,000 to the city to help with the celebration of America’s 250th birthday in 2026.

During last year’s breakfast, Miller announced plans for the Freedom Monument, which was dedicated this year on Independence Day.

On Wednesday, the mayor said another component is in the works. The city plans to develop the one-acre green space behind Freedom Monument into what will be known as “Veterans Plaza.”

The intention is to use this space to display veterans banners — similar to how some cities display these banners along main thoroughfares. Miller said there will be poles with a banner on it lined every 16 feet around the perimeter of the green space, estimating roughly 40 poles total.

“That should be a wonderful addition to that monument … and maybe even make it more powerful than just reading the quotes, seeing the military branches represented, but actually seeing our men and women who served to protect that freedom and defend that freedom,” the mayor said.

Miller closed the breakfast by praying over the veterans.

“Lord, we just say thank you for these souls,” the mayor prayed. “And Father, I pray that today will be a day when they will be reminded that every sacrifice they made, every cost that they paid, Lord, during their time of service to this country, Lord, it was not in vain.”

Below are more photos from the 8th annual Mayor’s Veterans Day Breakfast on Wednesday morning at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Club. (Credit: Hayden Gray)