Clarissa Sherrow is ecstatic to be able to host the Veterans Breakfast this year. The popular annual event will take place on Saturday, Nov. 13, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., at the Oxford Senior Center at 12 E. Locust Street in Oxford.

“I’m so glad to be able to be a part of this and give back to the veterans in our community, Sherrow said. “The veterans really enjoy getting together and talking with other veterans. We have lost a lot of veterans due to COVID, so these get-togethers are more important than ever.”

The Oxford Veterans Breakfast brings veterans in from the local Oxford area, as well as veterans from Chester County, other places in Pennsylvania, plus Maryland and Delaware.

“We normally serve up to 200 people,” Sherrow explained.  “Veterans are invited to bring a guest with them. We serve scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes, gravy and coffee. They do come for all the good food, but they also come to talk to others who know what they have been through. It’s really important for veterans to talk to other veterans. We usually have a group coming from the Coatesville VA Medical Center. This year they are planning an outreach group. They bring applications and information with them outlining healthcare benefits and services that are offered through the VA.”

She added, “We usually get people anxious to volunteer their time to help us. Local Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops participate and the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce also helps. We have a group coming from Brandywine Valley Hospice to let the community know what services they have for veterans. Our veterans certainly deserve our appreciation. They have left their families to protect our freedoms. They have sacrificed so much. It is more important than ever to encourage our children to support veterans any way they can. We give each veteran a lapel pin for their service. Many families, day care groups, and individuals make handmade cards for the veterans. It’s amazing to see the cards and to watch the veterans as they open them.”

Anyone wanting to help or donate to the Veterans Breakfast should contact Sherrow at 484-645-4513.

Sherrow also chairs the local Wreaths Across America project as well.

“Last year, we placed 1300 wreaths in the Oxford area,” she explained. “Currently, we are 325 wreaths short. Wreaths are $15 apiece. The wreaths get placed on graves on Dec. 18 and stay on the graves until mid-February. 

Sherrow said fundraisers are planned to help funds to purchase wreaths.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles will hold a pancake breakfast on Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at 410 South Street. The cost is $10 at the door. Kids under 5 are free. All proceeds go to Wreaths Across America.

Another fundraiser, the second annual Wreaths Across America Cornhole Tournament, will be held at the Redmen’s Hall in Oxford. 

Registration Starts at noon and bags fly at 1 p.m. The cost is $25 per person. You don’t need a partner, you will be paired. There are cash prizes for winners. All ages are welcome. Baskets and other prizes are raffled off. It’s a great time to honor a veteran. Anyone wishing to donate or for more information, should contact Sherrow at: 484-645-4513. Food will be available and baskets will be raffled off. 

Donations can also be mailed to Clarissa Sherrow, 1161 Lees Bridge Rd., Nottingham, PA 19362.

All funds raised in Oxford goes to the Oxford Cemetery, the Lincoln University Cemetery, Mennonite Church Cemetery on Media Road, the Nottingham Cemetery, Fremont Cemetery and the Cemetery in Chrome at Mt. Olive Road.

Interested persons can also go online at: Wreaths Across America, Southern Chester County for more information.

Residents in the Oxford area are proud of their veterans. Streets in the Borough are adorned year-round with banners honoring their veterans. Local cemeteries are rich with the history of many veterans.

Sherrow encouraged all families and individuals to donate to these causes.

“Our veterans should always know how much we appreciate them, and that we will never forget what they have done for us,” she said.