‘They’re my brothers’: La Pine HS students, staff honor veterans with recognition assembly and brunch

(Update: Adding video, comments from veterans, a student)

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- More schools around Central Oregon honored the area's veterans with special gatherings on Tuesday, including La Pine High School.

Monday was Veterans Day - setting aside a day to recognize and honor veterans across the country for their service. Since it was a school holiday, La Pine High held a Veterans Recognition Assembly and Brunch on Tuesday.

"They're my brothers is the way I look at it, when it comes to the veterans in the area," Ryan Fisher, a Marine Corps staff sergeant, said Tuesday. "I always appreciate getting together with our local veterans and my brothers and sisters and sharing times and stories. It's always a good time to kind of think back and remember what it is that we do."

At the assembly, La Pine Mayor Daniel Lee Richer and longtime NewsChannel 21 meteorologist Bob Shaw spoke to the students

Shaw said, "I am honored to be here today. I am honored to have served our country."

Richer said, "Hopefully, it'll install how veterans are always here for our public. And hopefully the public will always be here for our veterans."

Shaw added, "Having been in the Navy, Vietnam era, it is bringing a lot of honor, not only to me personally, but to every serviceman that served, whether it was here or overseas."

Students like junior Lucy Fisher were to hear stories, ask questions and pay their respects to veterans. 

"Coming from a military family, I understand how much sacrifices they make," Fisher said, "and I just really want people to appreciate like what they do for us. How they get our freedom, and how we're able to enjoy it every day."

La Pine High's principal said he hopes to keep this a tradition for its students and for the veterans who appreciate and enjoy the gatherings.