Join members of the Naperville Municipal Band, friends, family and other veterans to remember Veterans Day at 11AM, Mon., Nov. 11, at Veterans Park on Gartner Road. Pause to reflect about the signing of the armistice that ended World War I.
Great Lakes Navy Band will play Nov. 2
North Central College welcomes the Great Lakes Navy Band for its Veterans Appreciation Concert at 8PM Sat., Nov. 2 in Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. For more information, call (847) 688-4760.
U.S. Marine Corps raise flag on 238th birthday
Join the community at 9AM Sun., Nov. 10, when the American Legion Post 43, Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 and Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel participate in the U.S. Marine Corps flag raising in the front circle outside the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Happy 238th Birthday to the U.S. Marines.
Give locally and only to charities you know
This month, especially, thoughts turn to honoring and helping Veterans.
According to veterans advocate Mike Barbour, more than 65,000 organizations have “Veteran” in their name. Many are very good but some are not and some are scams. A good way to check is to visit www.CharityNavigator.com to see what they say about the organization or any charity, for that matter.
One of the good ones is Operation Support Our Troops-America. To see that they do much more than send care packages to military serving in harm’s way, visit www.OSOTAMERICA.org.
Another local organization that volunteers to assist veterans is Naperville Responds for Our Veterans. They help veterans by doing house repairs, updating the insides of homes to help disabled vets and many other areas around home upkeep.
“The two NRFOV projects I’m most familiar with are redoing a bathroom for a wounded Iraq Veteran so he wouldn’t fall when getting in and out of the shower and recently they are doing finishing touches on a home for a 95-year-old WWII Veteran,” said Barbour.
“Cheers to Our Veterans” will be hosted Wed., Nov. 6, at the Cress Creek Country Club.
For info, visit www.napervillerespondsforourveterans.com.
Both OSOT-America and Naperville Responds for Our Veterans offer volunteer opportunities, too.
Blue Star Banner Presentation is Nov. 17
Naperville area families with a loved one serving in Active Duty Military, Active Reserve or National Guard are invited to be recognized during a special ceremony to present Blue Star Banners and pins. Join local dignitaries who will assist in reviving the tradition to remember the men and women who protect our freedoms.
Sponsored by the Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 and the American Legion Post 43, this event will give military families an opportunity to meet each other and to learn more about the USO and local military organizations such as Operation Support Our Troops and Naperville Responds for Our Veterans.
Refreshments will be served. All our welcome. RSVP by Nov. 13 to Sue Jelinek or Terry Jelinek at (630) 357-5366.
Thanks for spreading the word to let active military know they are appreciated.
Remember to pause for a moment of silence at “11-11-11” on Veterans Day.
