MANSFIELD

The Orthodox Congregational Church will hold its third annual Veterans Appreciation Brunch Saturday morning.

The event will feature guest speakers and is organized entirely by volunteers.

"Sometimes we don't see enough being done to appreciate veterans," said Barbara Lindsay, one of the event's organizers. "Sometimes Veterans Day turns into just another holiday for shopping, when really it was to appreciate everyone who served our country."

The driving force behind the original event was Betty O'Connor, who then had a son serving in Iraq and now has a daughter serving in Afghanistan. About 35 people are working to put the event together, most of them parishioners at the Orthodox Church. The food is being donated and prepared by volunteers, who are also helping to set up, clean up, serve, decorate, organize, and make goodie bags for each veteran.

Speaking at the breakfast will be Marine Lance Cpl. James Crosby of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Affairs and State Rep. Jay Barrows, R-Mansfield, whose son, Cameron, is serving in the Army.

Invitations were mailed to local veterans, and there are 65 people signed up. Space is still available. Any veteran interested in attending can call the church at 508-339-4793.