DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and Hy-Vee are honoring Iowa’s veterans and active duty military members this Wednesday. Hy-Vee stores celebrate Veterans Day each year by offering a free breakfast to all veterans and active-duty military members as a way of thanking them for their service. The breakfasts will be served curbside at Iowa Hy-Vee stores this year. Hy-Vee will also distribute the Secretary of State’s “Honor a Veteran” postcards with each breakfast, encouraging customers to pay tribute to a friend or loved one.

Approximately 30,000 “Honor a Veteran” postcards were sent to Hy-Vee stores across Iowa for use on Veterans Day, which is this Wednesday, November 11. Cards will also be available at customer service counters at Hy-Vee stores. The veterans receiving the postcards at Hy-Vee can write a tribute to a fellow soldier, submit their own information to receive recognition from the State of Iowa, or give the card to a loved one to post an acknowledgement. The postcards will be returned to the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office and tributes will be posted online at HonorAVet.net and Facebook.com/HonorAVeteran.

The person making the tribute and the veteran being honored, if they are still with us, will both receive an ‘Honor a Veteran with Your Vote’ lapel pin in the mail. The lapel pins are red, white and blue, and in the shape of the state of Iowa. Secretary Pate encourages recipients to wear them while voting.