EAST ALTON - The ninth annual “Breakfast for a Hero” event welcomed 250 veterans and their families to commemorate Veterans Day.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, local veterans and community members came together at Julia’s Banquet Center in East Alton to celebrate the day and recognize their service. Hosted by Embark Wealth Partners every Veterans Day, “Breakfast for a Hero” aimed to thank the veterans and honor their sacrifices.
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“It’s honestly my favorite morning of the year,” said Terri Schneider with Embark Wealth Partners. “It’s heartwarming. It’s humbling that you have a room full of 250 veterans and their family members all coming together as a community.”
Embark Wealth Partners invites veterans to bring their families to the event. The business recognizes that families sacrifice a lot when their loved ones serve in the military, and they want to honor that.
“Breakfast for a Hero” also hopes to provide a sense of community to these veterans. Tom Haine, Madison County State’s Attorney and this year’s keynote speaker at the event, noted that many older veterans’ “circles are shrinking.” He urges the community to thank veterans and listen to their stories.
Haine added that his own experience as a veteran has been powerful. He was surprised, when he returned to civilian life, to realize how much appreciation the community has for military service members.
“I didn’t realize, when I was in the Army, how amazing being a veteran is. I didn’t really think of it as a lifelong thing that you became a part of,” he shared. “It’s just very meaningful as a veteran. It’s just a way to give back and thank people for their service and celebrate America. It’s the 250th anniversary this year. It’s hard to put it into words, but it’s just wonderful.”
As the veterans enjoyed breakfast, they also heard from Haine and watched a performance by The Gibson Girls. Schneider and her business partner, Jim Claywell, were proud to host the ninth annual event.
They encourage anyone who missed this year’s event to keep an eye out for information about next November’s breakfast. They hope the experience meant a lot to the veterans and their families; after all, it meant a lot to them to be able to provide the "Breakfast for a Hero” event to these community members.
“What they went through to fight for our freedoms — we can’t say thank you enough,” Claywell added. “Veterans Day happens every year, but every day should be Veterans Day.”
