The countywide inter-hospice breakfast was held at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown in honor of county veterans from all five military branches.
Hospice representative Cornelia Schimert, R.N., B.S.N. opened the breakfast with a welcome. Hospice Chaplain Peter Gibbons then shared an invocation. Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino thanked the veterans in attendance for their service.
The program also featured speakers Ronald C. Tocci, director of the Westchester County Veterans Service Agency; Wanda Orton, director of Phelps Hospice and Beverly Duncklee, PhD, RN, chief nursing officer at VA Hudson Valley Health System. Reverend (Major) Anthony S. Montague, US Army, Retired, delivered the keynote.
The Sleepy Hollow High School Chorus performed a set of patriotic numbers, including the fight song for each military branch.
Rev. Montague also delivered the Remembrance service with Rev. Ervin R. Graves, M.Div., Hospice Chaplain and Retired Staff Sergeant Kenneth Barnes, who performed "Taps."
More than 400 veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard attended the breakfast.
The breakfast was co-sponsored by Hospice & Palliative Care of Westchester; Hospice Care in Westchester and Putnam; Jansen Hospice and Palliative Care; and Phelps Hospice.
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