SALINAS VALLEY — Hartnell College will recognize local veterans with a week of free community events Nov. 9-13, including a breakfast, Veterans Day flag-raising ceremony, painting activity and a morning gathering with coffee and pan dulce.
The events, organized through the college’s Veterans Resource Center, are open to the public and intended to recognize student veterans, faculty, staff and community members who have served.
Established in September 2012, the Veterans Resource Center has supported more than 1,000 student veterans and family members. Hartnell was also named a Top 10 Military Friendly School for 2025-26 by G.I. Jobs, ranking No. 8 nationally among large community colleges.
“Our student veterans bring discipline, perspective and a deep sense of purpose into every classroom they walk into,” said Michael Gutierrez, superintendent/president of Hartnell College. “This week is our chance to say thank you out loud, and to make sure every veteran in the Salinas Valley knows there is a place for them here.”
The week is designed to bring veterans and community members together through informal gatherings and activities.
“A lot of veterans don’t come to the center the first time looking for help. They come for the coffee,” said Gemma Uribe-Cruz, Hartnell College veterans counselor. “Then they meet someone else who served, and that’s where it starts. Bring a veteran you love, or come meet one. That’s the whole idea of this week.”
The schedule includes:
- Monday, Nov. 9 — Breakfast with a Veteran: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Veterans Resource Center.
- Tuesday, Nov. 10 — Veterans Day Flag Raising and Meet and Greet: 11 a.m. at the main campus roundabout. A meet and greet with light appetizers and refreshments will follow in the Office of Student Life, Room C-140.
- Thursday, Nov. 12 — Lunch and Paint with a Veteran: Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Veterans Resource Center, followed by a painting activity at 1 p.m. in the Office of Student Life, Room C-140.
- Friday, Nov. 13 — Cafecito and Pan Dulce: 8 to 11 a.m. at the Veterans Resource Center.
All events will take place at Hartnell’s main campus, 411 Central Ave. in Salinas, and are wheelchair accessible.
For sign-language interpreters, real-time captioning or other accommodations, contact Ligia Polio at 831-755-6909 or lp****@******ll.edu. For more information, contact the Veterans Resource Center at 831-755-6909 or ve*************@******ll.edu, or visit hartnell.edu/events.
