Anchorage Senior Activity Center Hosts Luncheon for Veterans

More than 100 veterans and their family members gathered at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center on Tuesday for a luncheon honoring military service on the eve of Veterans Day.

The event, which has been a local tradition for over a dozen years, provided a space for participants to exchange stories, listen to live music, and reflect on their time in uniform.

Among those in attendance was 98-year-old Burl Stephens, a World War II veteran who served in the Pacific theater from 1945 to 1948. For Stephens, the luncheon was an opportunity to acknowledge the long-term impact of his service, particularly the educational benefits that helped him transition from the battlefield to a career in medicine.

“I wouldn’t use the word humble, but you know, it makes me proud that I was in,” Stephens said. He said that military benefits allowed him to attend medical school, eventually leading to a career as a practicing radiologist in Anchorage.

The Anchorage Senior Activity Center held its annual Veteran's celebration luncheon — Alaska's News Source

The event highlighted the importance of recognizing veterans whose service dates back decades. Maj. Gen. Tory Saxe, serving as a guest speaker, emphasized the necessity of acknowledging these individuals to ensure their contributions are not forgotten.

“I wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be here without them,” Saxe said. “So that saying ‘standing on the shoulders of giants’ — they are the giants.”

Anchorage Mayor Suzanne LaFrance attended the celebration, offering remarks on the weight of the sacrifices made by those in the room. She acknowledged that many veterans performed their duties far from their homes, enduring hardships that remain difficult for civilians to fully comprehend.

“You stood watch, often far from family and home, carrying burdens most of us can only imagine,” LaFrance said.

The longevity of the event is supported by community partnerships. According to director Rebecca Parker, the Anchorage Senior Activity Center has held the Veteran’s Day Celebration for more than a dozen years, with Nuvision Credit Union providing sponsorship for the event for the last several years.

At the luncheon, veterans and their families shared memories, showing how the center builds community for those who served from the mid-1940s to the present. For many, the day was not just a formal recognition, but a chance to reconnect with peers who share similar experiences of duty and transition.