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Plymouth restaurant server offers to pay for veterans' meals on Veterans Day

Plymouth restaurant server paying for veterans' meals on Saturday
Plymouth restaurant server paying for veterans' meals on Saturday 02:10

PLYMOUTH - A server at a Plymouth restaurant is giving back to veterans this Saturday by picking up the tab for every veteran he serves.

Corey Dries wanted to join the military when he was younger, but due to a series of mental health complications, he was advised by his doctors not to serve. His setback hasn't stopped him from making an impact on our military. During the Iraq War he helped to send 5,000 care packages to troops overseas.

"Boxes like socks, candy, and just stuff for troops in Afghanistan," said Dries, a server at Ocho Cafe in Plymouth. "[One military member], his buddies got into his box before they went out on patrol. Sad to say they never came back from their patrol. They were attacked."

This Saturday he plans to pay for every vet he serves at Ocho Cafe. He posted his plan on social media, and within 24 hours he had $800 in additional donations. Even while we were interviewing him, customers were coming up to him at the bar with more donations to the cause.

"All of this negativity in this world, I just want to put a smile on peoples' face. I shaved my head last month for breast cancer awareness. I give back to police departments and fire departments. I want people to realize the younger generation should do this. This is something that people don't get enough," said Dries. "I never expected a small act of kindness to blow up to this."

Dries typically works from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., but he will be working from noon until close to maximize the number of veterans he can serve. Anyone who mentions Dries will also get half-off of their meal. 

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