WATCH: Health First Health Plans Sponsors Veterans Day Breakfast at Brevard Veterans Memorial Center

HEALTH FIRST HEALTH PLANS PROVIDES DAY OF HONOR AND SERVICE TO OUR VETERANS

WATCH: Health First Health Plans sponsored the annual Veterans Day celebration at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center on Sykes Creek Blvd. – a stone’s throw from the ongoing construction of Health First’s new Cape Canaveral replacement hospital. (Health First video)

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BREVARD COUNTY • MERRITT ISLAND, FLORIDA – Under bright blue skies but record cold early November temperatures dipping into the 30s, traffic began flowing into the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center on Merritt Island early Tuesday morning for this year’s Veterans Day celebration.

Preparing to serve hundreds of chilly attendees, Health First Health Plans this year sponsored the annual Veterans Day celebration at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center on Sykes Creek Blvd. – a stone’s throw from the ongoing construction of Health First’s new Cape Canaveral replacement hospital.

“Health First Health Plans is incredibly honored to be here today as we support our veterans,” said Jaclyn Brown, Director of Commercial and Individual Sales with Health First Health Plans.

“Health First and Health First Health Plans is proud to count many of our associates as U.S. Veterans, and this especially meaningful event at the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center honors the bravery, sacrifice, and service of our veterans and their families. We are very grateful for the service and sacrifice they and their loved ones have extended to keep our country safe and free.”

While Health First and other community volunteers scrambled to set up breakfast service and the stage and activities began taking shape outdoors, the stories of duty and honor were already being shared inside the relative warmth of the Memorial Center.

“We’re here today to celebrate Veterans Day in the Brevard Veterans Memorial Center Plaza area, and we’re proud to have several groups here as we focus on the 250th anniversary of the United States. We have a parade of flags by the sea cadets from the very first American flag, the ‘Don’t tread on me’ flag, all the way through our history to the 50-star flag. We’ll also have a presentation of colors by the sons and daughters of the American Revolution in period attire. They’ll be the only ones warm today since it’s pretty chilly,” Brevard Veterans Memorial Vice President Donn Weaver explained.

“Veterans created this country. Veterans defended their country. Veterans put it back together after the Civil War, and veterans have positioned this country to defeat any enemy at any time. And, we have freedoms many other countries do not have. That is one of the things that make me the proudest to be an American,” Weaver continued.

This will be Weaver’s last event as vice president – he will transition to a new role overseeing operations of a new $8.2 million park and amphitheater on the Center’s property that is slated to open with a ribbon-cutting event in January.

Weaver explained that while there is a stark difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, it’s important that everyone – especially younger generations – take time to understand and honor the sacrifices of those who have dedicated their lives in service to our country.

“Veterans Day is a total celebration. Remembering ALL veterans what they’ve done for our country and how important they are. It’s just total celebration. By contrast, Memorial Day, in May, which is always the last Monday in May, we remember those who fell as a result of their service – those who didn’t come home, they couldn’t celebrate on Veterans Day, but will honor and remember them, and their gold star families that are left behind,” said Weaver.

“For myself, this is also a personal reflection. The first thing I always think about is my family. World War I—my grandfather; World War II—my father; and Korea. Then I switched gears to my sons. They’re both veterans. I think about how happy I am that this country honors veterans.”

Newly appointed vice president Don Pearsall shared reflections on his military service and the importance of honoring veterans.

Pearsall, who joined the U.S. Army in 1966 after high school, served as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Initially stationed in Europe supporting weather radar operations, he volunteered for combat duty seeking a greater purpose. “It was boring there,” he recalled. “I wanted to go where I could make a difference.”

In February 1968, during the Tet Offensive, Pearsall’s helicopter was shot down. Wounded and stranded overnight in dense jungle, he and his crew were rescued the next morning. After recovering, he returned to duty as a gunship pilot, providing air cover for troop missions.

Following his military service, Pearsall spent 32 years with AT&T before retiring in Florida, where he remains active in veterans’ causes. A Gold Star father, Pearsall lost his son during Operation Desert Storm in 1993. “Anything to do with veterans, I get involved in,” he said.

Reflecting on Veterans Day, Pearsall said it’s less about “free meals and more about gratitude.” “When someone thanks me for my service, I tell them, ‘Just be the kind of American worth fighting for.’”

He urged younger generations to understand the value of freedom: “Anyone who doubts what America’s about should spend time overseas. We’ve never seen war on our own soil. We need to appreciate what we have—and act like Americans together.”

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