PERU — Some 50 area veterans were honored Monday by Dirigo Elementary School students during the annual Veterans Day breakfast and assembly.

“This is real nice,” World War II veteran Cleon Fletcher Sr., 98, of Dixfield, said. He was one of 94 veterans who were taken on an Honor Flight to Arlington National Cemetery, and all received special hats.

Principal Charlie Swan said this is the 12th or 13th year of the Veterans Day celebration, which began with a box of doughnuts and coffee from Dunkin’ and an invitation sent home with students for veterans to attend. A dozen veterans accepted that first year.

“This is by far the favorite event that we do all year long, Swan said. “I tell the kids this is the one assembly where we focus on other people and celebrate other people,” Swan said.

About eight or nine years ago he developed a partnership with the culinary arts program at the Region 9 School of Applied Technology in Mexico to cater the breakfast.

Culinary arts instructor Rachael Robinson said Mountain Valley High School sophomores Paige Bedard, Payton Richard, Adriana Navarro, Vicky Hendley and Tagan Connor, all first-year culinary arts students, were at school before 6 a.m. to cook the breakfast. Robinson was joined by Christy Fontaine, first-year pastry arts instructor.

The food was taken to Dirigo Elementary by 8:15 a.m.

During the assembly, a video on the meaning and importance of Veterans Day was shown, along with one of students thanking veterans for their service. Students also wrote letters and thank-you cards to them.

Swan announced the names of each veteran in attendance, with students taking turns giving their veteran or friend a tumbler inscribed with the school’s Cougar mascot on it.

Swan talked about Operation Reboot Outdoors, founded by Dirigo High School graduate Dan Waite. The nonprofit veterans’ organization provides healing for veterans and law enforcement through outdoor recreational activities.

“They’ve served over 600 veterans and law enforcement people since they started in 2019,” he said.

Swan said Dirigo Elementary School started raising money a few years ago for Operation Reboot as part of the Veterans Day celebration “because we wanted to give back to groups who are supporting veterans in our community.”

He pointed out the hundreds of crayon-colored Cougar Cub drawings on the wall in the hallway across from the gym, each one of them representing $5 raised for the program and all with a message for veterans.

There were 35 students who participated this year, with 10 students raising $50 or more.

Seven students who raised over $100: Alivia Langervin, $100; Emilee Coulombe, $120; Ashton St. Germain, $160; Devin Knowles, $200; and brother and sister Warren and Hazel Bellegarde, $790 apiece, including a bottle drive that brought in more than $1,000. They received small gifts from Operation Reboot for their efforts.

Easton Palmer raised more than $1,600 this year, bringing his total over the past four years to over $5,000. As a thank you, Abraham J. Bradeen from Operation Reboot presented Easton with three Boston Celtics tickets and a jersey.

Asked why he put so much time into the campaign, Easton said, “I don’t know. I just do it to raise money for Operation Reboot.”

He earned the money by working at a flower shop, holding a mini bottle drive and helping his Nan with baked goods, and collecting donations from family and friends.

This year’s goal was $2,000 for the organization.

“This year, you guys, all together, raised $4,351 for Operation Reboot,” he said. “Awesome job!”