The Council on Aging welcomed 120 guests for a free breakfast on November 4 to celebrate veterans and their families ahead of Veterans Day.

"You've all made great sacrifice during your service," said Council on Aging Director Amy DiPietro. "Today is our day to honor you."

While officials — such as state Representative Chris Markey — who hosted the event alongside the Friends of the Elderly — and Select Board Chair Stanley Mickelson reflected on the importance of veterans and thanked them, talk at the tables was much more jovial.

Behind every good man... "is an even greater woman," Celia Whipp laughed, finishing someone's sentence. Beside her, her husband and World War II veteran Bill Whipp smiled.

At a different table, similar remarks were heard. "They're here because we're here," said Eva Arruda next to her husband Ed Arruda. "We take care of them."

But not all the women attending were veterans' wives.

Among the crowd was South Coast Veteran of the Year Priscilla Louro Fonseca, who entered the Air Force at 18 years old, two months out of high school. Since then, she has spent 33 years with the American Legion, and hosts a cable TV show in New Bedford to advocate for veterans.

"I do my job. I do what I like," said Fonseca. "This [breakfast] is a real pleasure."

Following the meal, Veterans Services Officer Roy Oliveira called attention to Connie Desbiens, the driving force behind the recently opened veterans housing on State Road.

Women weren't the only honorees at the event, however. Command Master Chief Craig Cole addressed the room as guest speaker. "We in this room are the reason we live in a free and wonderful country," said Cole to the audience.

Friends of the Elderly's Maria Connors said she was grateful for service men. "My entire life, I've been surrounded by uniforms," she said, naming brothers and brothers-in-law. "Freedom is very precious and fragile. We owe it to these people to continue what they do to keep us safe," she concluded.