Pancakes, lights and helicopters: How Danville is saluting servicemembers this Veterans Day

DANVILLE, Calif. (KGO) -- The town of Danville is paying tribute to those who have served for Veteran's Day.

Veterans and their families were invited in for a pancake breakfast at the Danville Veterans Memorial Building.

And not even the rain could stop these veterans from gathering and sharing stories.

"Hearing their stories is always heartbreaking and heartwarming," Danville Mayor Karen Stepper said.

Mayor Stepper joined other members of the town council, rolling up their sleeves to serve retired servicemembers and their families a pancake breakfast.

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"My husband says why are you cooking for all these veterans?" Stepper said. "And I said because they cook for us all the time at picnics, at every kind of event, all the time, this is their day to sit and we will serve."

Outside of the Danville Veterans Memorial Building, the town also brought in a "Huey" helicopter for the holiday.

"People like to climb inside and get a feel of what it was like to sit in one of these things," Navy veteran Robert Dunton said.

Dunton is from Dublin and served in the Navy nearly six decades ago.

"When you enter the service, you become a real man," Dunton said. "You take orders, you live by a code, and you provide service to our country."

His service didn't end there as he now works with the non-profit Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley.

"It's very important to recognize the veterans because of their service to our country and without the service that veterans have provided, we wouldn't be able to live free and so many countries don't live free," he said.

Two weeks from Monday, Mayor Stepper says the town plans to light up the outside of the Veteran's Memorial Building, thanks to generous donations.

"We call it 'light of honor' because we want to honor our veterans by having this building in the center of town always lit," Stepper said.

At sunset, the Beacon on Mount Diablo will be lit for a 24-hour salute to those who have served.

The town has traditionally used the Beacon to honor Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day but started turning it on for Veteran's Day and Memorial Day back in 2022.