Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee offers breakfasts for veterans

MT. PLEASANT - The Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee is celebrating veterans with its annual Veterans Day breakfast on Wednesday morning.

This year, the store will be packaging and handing out free to-go meals to veterans from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Store director Willy Amos said the measures are in response to health and safety concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

The store will be setting up a tent with flags to direct veterans where to pick up their meal.

'It'll be curbside. They can come up, and it will be free of charge for veterans,” Amos said.

With the change, Amos said he's not quite sure how many people may swing by. In years past, the store has been filled, 'wall to wall, hundreds in and out” with veterans who drop by for the meal.

'We might see more come through this year, especially because instead of having to come out, we can hand them their food, packaged and ready to go,” he said.

In addition to the meal, the store will be offering 15 percent off on groceries to veterans that day as well as donating proceeds from their reusable bag sales to the local Veterans Affairs office.

The store holds a yearly fundraiser around Veterans Day, selling reusable bags for $2.50 and donating $1 per bag sold to a local organization that benefits veterans.

The Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee is one of more than 200 across the Midwest who will be participating in the Veterans Day events. The company expects to serve more than 90,000 meals on Wednesday at more than 250 stores.

'Hy-Vee has been strong for many years in recognizing and supporting veterans and service folk who have served and are serving, in all towns,” Amos said of Hy-Vee's commitment to serving veterans.

'In Mt. Pleasant, we have multiple solid groups like the VFW and Veterans Affairs that help a lot of folks around town. We're excited to do our part to help,” he added.