Children clustered around a police motorcycle, emergency medical service workers opened their supply bags and veterans showed photos from their time in Iraq. At Northwoods Elementary School’s Heroes Day, people who serve the community, state or country were invited for lunch on Nov. 10.

R.G. (Bob) Patterson of the Cary Fire Department sat at the end of a cafeteria table holding a set of irons, large metal tools firefighters use to force doors open. But he told students that firefighters make sure to check and see if the door is unlocked first. “We always say, ‘try before you pry,’” he told kindergartners as he helped a student open a water bottle.

Gunnery Sgt. Kim Roland of the U.S. Marine Corps had a personal connection to the Northwoods kindergartners: His daughter, Angelina, 5, was eating lunch there with her friends. An Iraq War veteran, Roland is an instructor at Duke University’s Naval ROTC program. He said being away from his daughter was difficult. “My wife would try to explain that people have to do that [be deployed to war zones] to keep us safe,” he said.

Nearby, school counselor Beverly Mitchell greeted visitors and watched the heroes in uniform as they answered students’ questions.

Mitchell initiated the Heroes Day program at her previous school, as a recognition of the first anniversary of 9/11. “I decided to do something positive,” she said, and the parents and staff loved the result.

By the time Mitchell began working at Northwoods Elementary, it was the fifth anniversary of 9/11, and her newbie status at the beginning of the school year did not give her time to put the program together by Sept. 11. Heroes Day became tied to Veterans Day in November each year to honor a wide range of community heroes. “We realize that people in service jobs are very rarely recognized for what they do, and we’re very proud of Heroes Day,” Mitchell said.

Lori Bristol from Cary Area EMS carried her emergency medical supply bag from table to table. A former nurse, she was inspired to work for EMS because of an allergic reaction her son had when he was 5. Bristol was living in a rural area with access only to volunteer emergency medical services.

The students at Bristol’s table leaned forward to ask questions. “They want to know exactly what it is we do and what’s in the bag,” she said. “We’re the hidden ones.”

Standing at the end of a table in desert camouflage, Steve Sheppard of the U.S. Navy brought pictures of camels from his tours in Iraq and expected easy questions. Instead, one student threw him a curveball, asking, “Are we in a protective mode, or are we actively pursuing the terrorists?”

Before leaving the cafeteria, groups of students clustered around the Cary police Harley Davidson motorcycle, and officers Mike Ring and Damian Keena pointed out the bells and whistles. The laptop with printer and lights received extra special attention.

Bill Ruble of the Cary Fire Department summed up the lunch event. “I enjoy talking to the kids. You hope the things you say will make a difference in their lives,” he said. “I always say that I’d rather tell you something and you never need it.”